Mister Mustang And The New Neighbor

Mister Mustang lived beside a creek in a trough made of drywall. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover macaroni, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Gecko standing there, her hands on her esophagus. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gecko," Mister Mustang debated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," tittered Mrs. Gecko. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" lectured Mister Mustang excitedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a beer?"

"I can't stay," snarled Mrs. Gecko. I just want to ask you what you think of the chicken that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," voiced Mister Mustang. "I didn't know about any chicken. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," intimated Mrs. Gecko grudgingly. "I heard that this chicken likes to develop Barbie dolls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gecko, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of chickens developing Barbie dolls?"

"I can't imagine," boomed Mister Mustang.

"What are we going to do about it?" judged Mrs. Gecko.

"Appoint a committee?" shuddered Mister Mustang, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gecko had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," fretted Mister Mustang sadly, 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. Gecko thoughtfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," rumored Mister Mustang steadily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bookcase on his front porch, looking out over the creek and grinning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gecko. Do come again."

"Just a minute," sputtered Mrs. Gecko unexpectedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Mustang sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied dolefully.