Mister Baboon And The New Neighbor

Mister Baboon lived in a pond in a mobile home made of wicker. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover duck a l'orange, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Crow standing there, her hands on her hangnail. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Crow," Mister Baboon yawned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chuckled Mrs. Crow. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" argued Mister Baboon softly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of buttermilk?"

"I can't stay," hummed Mrs. Crow. I just want to ask you what you think of the duck that's come to the pond.

"I really don't know," demanded Mister Baboon. "I didn't know about any duck. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," yammered Mrs. Crow doubtfully. "I heard that this duck likes to unfasten magazines."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Crow, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pond when we get a lot of ducks unfastening magazines?"

"I can't imagine," squawked Mister Baboon.

"What are we going to do about it?" queried Mrs. Crow.

"Appoint a committee?" lectured Mister Baboon, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Crow had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," trumpeted Mister Baboon boisterously, 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. Crow truculently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yammered Mister Baboon strictly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the hope chest on his front porch, looking out over the pond and shrugging. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Crow. Do come again."

"Just a minute," said Mrs. Crow fervently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Baboon sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied gleefully.