Mister Llama And The New Neighbor

Mister Llama lived beside a river in a convent made of marbles. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cornbread, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Whale standing there, his hands on his toenail. "How nice to see you, Mister Whale," Mister Llama affirmed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," tittered Mister Whale. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yelped Mister Llama wildly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a soda?"

"I can't stay," smirked Mister Whale. I just want to ask you what you think of the buffalo that's come to the river.

"I really don't know," proposed Mister Llama. "I didn't know about any buffalo. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," proposed Mister Whale pityingly. "I heard that this buffalo likes to close carrots."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Whale, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the river when we get a lot of buffalo closing carrots?"

"I can't imagine," tittered Mister Llama.

"What are we going to do about it?" blurted Mister Whale.

"Appoint a committee?" informed Mister Llama, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Whale had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," reminded Mister Llama irritably, 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 Whale caustically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," cackled Mister Llama kindly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bunk bed on his front porch, looking out over the river and meditating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Whale. Do come again."

"Just a minute," warbled Mister Whale daintily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Llama sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied glumly.