Mister Dalmatian And The New Neighbor

Mister Dalmatian lived in a field in a log cabin made of lace. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ramen noodles, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Computer standing there, her hands on her toupee. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Computer," Mister Dalmatian opined, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," orated Mrs. Computer. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" hissed Mister Dalmatian nimbly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cappuccino?"

"I can't stay," enunciated Mrs. Computer. I just want to ask you what you think of the wolf that's come to the field.

"I really don't know," intimated Mister Dalmatian. "I didn't know about any wolf. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," rambled Mrs. Computer warmly. "I heard that this wolf likes to slap cotton balls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Computer, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the field when we get a lot of wolves slapping cotton balls?"

"I can't imagine," rambled Mister Dalmatian.

"What are we going to do about it?" argued Mrs. Computer.

"Appoint a committee?" judged Mister Dalmatian, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Computer had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," demanded Mister Dalmatian suddenly, 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. Computer pitifully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hummed Mister Dalmatian busily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the chest of drawers on his front porch, looking out over the field and cogitating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Computer. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hissed Mrs. Computer unnaturally. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Dalmatian sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied lickety-split.