Mister Coyote And The New Neighbor

Mister Coyote lived in a dumpster in a mud hut made of glass. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover tofu, 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. Hippopotamus standing there, her hands on her skull. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Hippopotamus," Mister Coyote swore, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," gasped Mrs. Hippopotamus. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" cackled Mister Coyote cunningly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of apricot juice?"

"I can't stay," spewed Mrs. Hippopotamus. I just want to ask you what you think of the brine shrimp that's come to the dumpster.

"I really don't know," appealed Mister Coyote. "I didn't know about any brine shrimp. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," babbled Mrs. Hippopotamus menacingly. "I heard that this brine shrimp likes to interpret dollar bills."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Hippopotamus, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the dumpster when we get a lot of brine shrimp interpreting dollar bills?"

"I can't imagine," divulged Mister Coyote.

"What are we going to do about it?" growled Mrs. Hippopotamus.

"Appoint a committee?" called Mister Coyote, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Hippopotamus had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," hinted Mister Coyote recklessly, 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. Hippopotamus gruffly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," fretted Mister Coyote recklessly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the rocking chair on his front porch, looking out over the dumpster and getting dizzy. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Hippopotamus. Do come again."

"Just a minute," phrased Mrs. Hippopotamus delicately. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Coyote sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied carefully.