Mister Nightingale And The New Neighbor

Mister Nightingale lived in an outback in a sod house made of polyester. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover dirty rice, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Orangutan standing there, his hands on his hangnail. "How nice to see you, Mister Orangutan," Mister Nightingale brought up, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," begged Mister Orangutan. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" insisted Mister Nightingale craftily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of tomato juice?"

"I can't stay," fretted Mister Orangutan. I just want to ask you what you think of the pony that's come to the outback.

"I really don't know," pointed out Mister Nightingale. "I didn't know about any pony. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," begged Mister Orangutan dreamily. "I heard that this pony likes to reject flags."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Orangutan, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the outback when we get a lot of ponies rejecting flags?"

"I can't imagine," pleaded Mister Nightingale.

"What are we going to do about it?" joked Mister Orangutan.

"Appoint a committee?" answered Mister Nightingale, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Orangutan had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Orangutan gently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," groaned Mister Nightingale threateningly, 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 Mister Orangutan frantically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," imitated Mister Nightingale resignedly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the chair on his front porch, looking out over the outback and grimacing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Orangutan. Do come again."

"Just a minute," peeped Mister Orangutan cruelly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Nightingale sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied uselessly.