Mister Kitty And The New Neighbor

Mister Kitty lived on a plateau in a hut made of wood. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg rolls, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Gnu standing there, her hands on her eyebrow. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gnu," Mister Kitty questioned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," asserted Mrs. Gnu. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" breathed Mister Kitty vacantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bacardi?"

"I can't stay," chortled Mrs. Gnu. I just want to ask you what you think of the dingo that's come to the plateau.

"I really don't know," simpered Mister Kitty. "I didn't know about any dingo. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," grunted Mrs. Gnu frenetically. "I heard that this dingo likes to label pinwheels."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gnu, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plateau when we get a lot of dingoes labeling pinwheels?"

"I can't imagine," disputed Mister Kitty.

"What are we going to do about it?" griped Mrs. Gnu.

"Appoint a committee?" conversed Mister Kitty, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gnu had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," smirked Mister Kitty accidentally, 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. Gnu dolorously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," sniped Mister Kitty strangely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the dishwasher on his front porch, looking out over the plateau and raising an eyebrow. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gnu. Do come again."

"Just a minute," burbled Mrs. Gnu courageously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Kitty sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied gingerly.