Mister Duck And The New Neighbor

Mister Duck lived on a mountaintop in a retreat made of gold bricks. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cinnamon toast, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Phantom standing there, his hands on his cheek. "How nice to see you, Mister Phantom," Mister Duck babbled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," said Mister Phantom. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" requested Mister Duck sorrowfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of fruit punch?"

"I can't stay," chuckled Mister Phantom. I just want to ask you what you think of the pigeon that's come to the mountaintop.

"I really don't know," blubbered Mister Duck. "I didn't know about any pigeon. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," indicated Mister Phantom resignedly. "I heard that this pigeon likes to reposition fish."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Phantom, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountaintop when we get a lot of pigeons repositioning fish?"

"I can't imagine," responded Mister Duck.

"What are we going to do about it?" agreed Mister Phantom.

"Appoint a committee?" intimated Mister Duck, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Phantom had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," harangued Mister Duck majestically, 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 Phantom truculently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," declaimed Mister Duck languidly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the canopy bed on his front porch, looking out over the mountaintop and fulminating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Phantom. Do come again."

"Just a minute," protested Mister Phantom tenderly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Duck sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied gruffly.