Mister Parrot And The New Neighbor

Mister Parrot lived in a desert in a duplex made of gold. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover oatmeal, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Chicken standing there, her hands on her palm. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Chicken," Mister Parrot gasped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," analyzed Mrs. Chicken. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sniped Mister Parrot unabashedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a fruit smoothie?"

"I can't stay," suggested Mrs. Chicken. I just want to ask you what you think of the reindeer that's come to the desert.

"I really don't know," clarified Mister Parrot. "I didn't know about any reindeer. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," joked Mrs. Chicken narrowly. "I heard that this reindeer likes to mutilate stuffed owls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Chicken, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the desert when we get a lot of reindeer mutilating stuffed owls?"

"I can't imagine," guessed Mister Parrot.

"What are we going to do about it?" fumed Mrs. Chicken.

"Appoint a committee?" sniped Mister Parrot, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Chicken had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," admitted Mister Parrot innocently, 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. Chicken deliberately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," smiled Mister Parrot blankly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the pedestal on his front porch, looking out over the desert and stretching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Chicken. Do come again."

"Just a minute," responded Mrs. Chicken shakily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Parrot sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied gently.