Mister Chipmunk And The New Neighbor

Mister Chipmunk lived alongside a stream in a tent made of cornstalks. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pecan pie, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Dormouse standing there, her hands on her adrenal gland. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dormouse," Mister Chipmunk reacted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," wept Mrs. Dormouse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" asserted Mister Chipmunk crankily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Coke?"

"I can't stay," exploded Mrs. Dormouse. I just want to ask you what you think of the pony that's come to the stream.

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

"Well don't be so sure," whined Mrs. Dormouse solemnly. "I heard that this pony likes to strengthen books."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dormouse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the stream when we get a lot of ponies strengthening books?"

"I can't imagine," vouched Mister Chipmunk.

"What are we going to do about it?" yammered Mrs. Dormouse.

"Appoint a committee?" griped Mister Chipmunk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dormouse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," snorted Mister Chipmunk deftly, 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. Dormouse sternly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," gasped Mister Chipmunk mysteriously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the catbird seat on his front porch, looking out over the stream and rejoicing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dormouse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," exclaimed Mrs. Dormouse nicely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Chipmunk sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied unnaturally.