Mister Duck And The New Neighbor

Mister Duck lived in a cornfield in a bungalow made of posts and beams. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Swiss cheese, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Pony standing there, his hands on his carotid artery. "How nice to see you, Mister Pony," Mister Duck gasped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," bellowed Mister Pony. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" piped up Mister Duck neatly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a mint julep?"

"I can't stay," offered Mister Pony. I just want to ask you what you think of the sasquatch that's come to the cornfield.

"I really don't know," noted Mister Duck. "I didn't know about any sasquatch. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," revealed Mister Pony jokingly. "I heard that this sasquatch likes to shake church keys."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Pony, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cornfield when we get a lot of sasquatches shaking church keys?"

"I can't imagine," observed Mister Duck.

"What are we going to do about it?" phrased Mister Pony.

"Appoint a committee?" rumored Mister Duck, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Pony had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," interpreted Mister Duck unnaturally, 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 Pony sarcastically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," squealed Mister Duck dreamily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the toilet on his front porch, looking out over the cornfield and muttering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Pony. Do come again."

"Just a minute," emphasized Mister Pony fondly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Duck 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 Mrs. Pony doing these days?"

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

Mister Duck sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied tensely.