Mister Antelope And The New Neighbor

Mister Antelope lived in a rainforest in a penthouse made of stucco. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover bread and butter, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Weasel standing there, her hands on her thumb. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Weasel," Mister Antelope wailed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," boasted Mrs. Weasel. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" groveled Mister Antelope delicately, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a dose of cod liver oil?"

"I can't stay," breathed Mrs. Weasel. I just want to ask you what you think of the beetle that's come to the rainforest.

"I really don't know," exploded Mister Antelope. "I didn't know about any beetle. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," declared Mrs. Weasel lazily. "I heard that this beetle likes to exclude boxes of candy."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Weasel, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the rainforest when we get a lot of beetles excluding boxes of candy?"

"I can't imagine," urged Mister Antelope.

"What are we going to do about it?" blurted Mrs. Weasel.

"Appoint a committee?" chanted Mister Antelope, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Weasel had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," decided Mister Antelope oddly, 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. Weasel craftily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," joked Mister Antelope furiously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the cushion on his front porch, looking out over the rainforest and doodling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Weasel. Do come again."

"Just a minute," observed Mrs. Weasel ferociously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Antelope 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 Mister Weasel doing these days?"

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

Mister Antelope sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied lightly.