Mister Gazelle And The New Neighbor

Mister Gazelle lived in a grassland in a flat made of banana leaves. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover smoked salmon, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Lynx standing there, his hands on his artery. "How nice to see you, Mister Lynx," Mister Gazelle judged, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," imitated Mister Lynx. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" worried Mister Gazelle sternly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a kamikaze?"

"I can't stay," howled Mister Lynx. I just want to ask you what you think of the Dalmatian that's come to the grassland.

"I really don't know," blathered Mister Gazelle. "I didn't know about any Dalmatian. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," provoked Mister Lynx despondently. "I heard that this Dalmatian likes to play with cans of sardines."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Lynx, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the grassland when we get a lot of Dalmatians playing with cans of sardines?"

"I can't imagine," grunted Mister Gazelle.

"What are we going to do about it?" whimpered Mister Lynx.

"Appoint a committee?" accused Mister Gazelle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Lynx had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," breathed Mister Gazelle properly, 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 Lynx uselessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," purred Mister Gazelle despondently, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the cushion on his front porch, looking out over the grassland and dilly-dallying. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Lynx. Do come again."

"Just a minute," queried Mister Lynx trustingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Gazelle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied silently.