Mister Turtle And The New Neighbor

Mister Turtle lived in a park in a loft made of marbles. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover bonbons, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Chihuahua standing there, her hands on her horn. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Chihuahua," Mister Turtle noted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," revealed Mrs. Chihuahua. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," rationalized Mrs. Chihuahua. I just want to ask you what you think of the mustang that's come to the park.

"I really don't know," lectured Mister Turtle. "I didn't know about any mustang. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," yawned Mrs. Chihuahua bitterly. "I heard that this mustang likes to submerse bugles."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Chihuahua, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the park when we get a lot of mustangs submersing bugles?"

"I can't imagine," quoted Mister Turtle.

"What are we going to do about it?" hollered Mrs. Chihuahua.

"Appoint a committee?" muttered Mister Turtle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Chihuahua had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," chortled Mister Turtle hysterically, 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. Chihuahua blindly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," spouted Mister Turtle anxiously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the fainting couch on his front porch, looking out over the park and playing Farmer in the Dell. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Chihuahua. Do come again."

"Just a minute," smiled Mrs. Chihuahua softly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Turtle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied deftly.