Mister Dinosaur And The New Neighbor

Mister Dinosaur lived on a seacoast in a brownstone made of foil. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lamb curry, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Bumblebee standing there, his hands on his pituitary gland. "How nice to see you, Mister Bumblebee," Mister Dinosaur affirmed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," concluded Mister Bumblebee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" admitted Mister Dinosaur haughtily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot toddy?"

"I can't stay," stated Mister Bumblebee. I just want to ask you what you think of the hawk that's come to the seacoast.

"I really don't know," mentioned Mister Dinosaur. "I didn't know about any hawk. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," answered Mister Bumblebee offhandedly. "I heard that this hawk likes to unfasten bullets."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Bumblebee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seacoast when we get a lot of hawks unfastening bullets?"

"I can't imagine," jeered Mister Dinosaur.

"What are we going to do about it?" mumbled Mister Bumblebee.

"Appoint a committee?" blurted Mister Dinosaur, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Bumblebee had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Bumblebee ferociously. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," continued Mister Dinosaur nimbly, 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 Mister Bumblebee kindly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," amended Mister Dinosaur bitterly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the filing cabinet on his front porch, looking out over the seacoast and applauding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Bumblebee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," professed Mister Bumblebee deftly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Dinosaur sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied shakily.