Mister Buffalo And The New Neighbor

Mister Buffalo lived on a steppe in a cardboard box made of gold. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover prune pudding, when he heard a knock at the door.

He swaggered to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

He was surprised to see Mrs. Android standing there, her hands on her antenna. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Android," Mister Buffalo protested, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," stated Mrs. Android. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" snorted Mister Buffalo cleverly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of rum?"

"I can't stay," indicated Mrs. Android. I just want to ask you what you think of the crab that's come to the steppe.

"I really don't know," joked Mister Buffalo. "I didn't know about any crab. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," rationalized Mrs. Android sagely. "I heard that this crab likes to loosen file folders."

"Um, I don't know what to say," protested Mister Buffalo, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Android, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the steppe when we get a lot of crabs loosening file folders?"

"I can't imagine," yawned Mister Buffalo.

"What are we going to do about it?" decided Mrs. Android.

"Appoint a committee?" responded Mister Buffalo, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Android had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Android sharply. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," suggested Mister Buffalo anxiously, who wanted to bring the conversation to a close quickly, without finding himself on this committee.

"I'd like for you to be on the committee," said Mrs. Android neatly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," suggested Mister Buffalo ruefully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the fainting couch on his front porch, looking out over the steppe and suffering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Android. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wailed Mrs. Android victoriously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Buffalo thought he had answered, and was beginning to get lively. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mister Android doing these days?"

Mrs. Android would have none of it. "So, let's meet at your house, say tomorrow at two?"

Mister Buffalo sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied caustically.