Mister Monkey And The New Neighbor

Mister Monkey lived at a lakeside in a cabin made of duct tape. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast turkey, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Cheetah standing there, her hands on her funny bone. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Cheetah," Mister Monkey expressed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," orated Mrs. Cheetah. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" grunted Mister Monkey impatiently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mudslide?"

"I can't stay," asserted Mrs. Cheetah. I just want to ask you what you think of the monster that's come to the lakeside.

"I really don't know," realized Mister Monkey. "I didn't know about any monster. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," raved Mrs. Cheetah slowly. "I heard that this monster likes to condemn bells."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Cheetah, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the lakeside when we get a lot of monsters condemning bells?"

"I can't imagine," pronounced Mister Monkey.

"What are we going to do about it?" expressed Mrs. Cheetah.

"Appoint a committee?" orated Mister Monkey, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Cheetah had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," argued Mister Monkey steadily, 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. Cheetah languidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," debated Mister Monkey roughly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the cash register on his front porch, looking out over the lakeside and stretching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Cheetah. Do come again."

"Just a minute," proposed Mrs. Cheetah menacingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Monkey sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied grandly.