Mister Manatee And The New Neighbor

Mister Manatee lived in a backyard in a townhouse made of chicken wire. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ice cream, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Grasshopper standing there, her hands on her pituitary gland. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Grasshopper," Mister Manatee whispered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sneered Mrs. Grasshopper. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" judged Mister Manatee hastily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Tom and Jerry?"

"I can't stay," tittered Mrs. Grasshopper. I just want to ask you what you think of the garter snake that's come to the backyard.

"I really don't know," shrieked Mister Manatee. "I didn't know about any garter snake. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," croaked Mrs. Grasshopper fiercely. "I heard that this garter snake likes to shake cans of beans."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Grasshopper, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the backyard when we get a lot of garter snakes shaking cans of beans?"

"I can't imagine," gabbed Mister Manatee.

"What are we going to do about it?" imitated Mrs. Grasshopper.

"Appoint a committee?" chimed Mister Manatee, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Grasshopper had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," whispered Mister Manatee irritably, 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. Grasshopper confidently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," interrupted Mister Manatee quickly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bar stool on his front porch, looking out over the backyard and running. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Grasshopper. Do come again."

"Just a minute," laughed Mrs. Grasshopper gingerly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Manatee sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied fearfully.