Mister Chihuahua And The New Neighbor

Mister Chihuahua lived in a country meadow in a mud hut made of hair. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover waffles, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" professed Mister Chihuahua blindly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Sangría?"

"I can't stay," vouched Mrs. Ghost. I just want to ask you what you think of the baboon that's come to the country meadow.

"I really don't know," concluded Mister Chihuahua. "I didn't know about any baboon. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," tittered Mrs. Ghost cunningly. "I heard that this baboon likes to scuff microphones."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Ghost, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the country meadow when we get a lot of baboons scuffing microphones?"

"I can't imagine," maintained Mister Chihuahua.

"What are we going to do about it?" called Mrs. Ghost.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," gasped Mister Chihuahua ruefully, 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. Ghost unexpectedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," grieved Mister Chihuahua timidly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the filing cabinet on his front porch, looking out over the country meadow and dying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Ghost. Do come again."

"Just a minute," fretted Mrs. Ghost hopefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Chihuahua sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied trustingly.