Mister Flea And The New Neighbor

Mister Flea lived in a cave in a chalet made of wood. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover applesauce, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" bawled Mister Flea cleverly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Moscow mule?"

"I can't stay," piped up Mrs. Lizard. I just want to ask you what you think of the mustang that's come to the cave.

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

"Well don't be so sure," yawned Mrs. Lizard lickety-split. "I heard that this mustang likes to smash trash cans."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lizard, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cave when we get a lot of mustangs smashing trash cans?"

"I can't imagine," squeaked Mister Flea.

"What are we going to do about it?" barked Mrs. Lizard.

"Appoint a committee?" sneered Mister Flea, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lizard had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," snorted Mister Flea briskly, 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. Lizard recklessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," bawled Mister Flea quickly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the safe on his front porch, looking out over the cave and getting frazzled. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lizard. Do come again."

"Just a minute," squeaked Mrs. Lizard merrily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Flea sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied recklessly.