Mister Lamb And The New Neighbor

Mister Lamb lived on a mountain in a house made of moss. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cookies, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" whined Mister Lamb tenderly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of milk?"

"I can't stay," inquired Mrs. Elephant. I just want to ask you what you think of the phantom that's come to the mountain.

"I really don't know," whined Mister Lamb. "I didn't know about any phantom. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," jeered Mrs. Elephant lovingly. "I heard that this phantom likes to identify pipes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Elephant, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountain when we get a lot of phantoms identifying pipes?"

"I can't imagine," enunciated Mister Lamb.

"What are we going to do about it?" suggested Mrs. Elephant.

"Appoint a committee?" provoked Mister Lamb, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Elephant had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," voiced Mister Lamb busily, 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. Elephant silently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chortled Mister Lamb cautiously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the nightstand on his front porch, looking out over the mountain and clapping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Elephant. Do come again."

"Just a minute," began Mrs. Elephant vigorously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Lamb sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied suavely.