Mister Bear And The New Neighbor

Mister Bear lived on a moonscape in a sod house made of limestone. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg rolls, 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 Mrs. Hawk standing there, her hands on her rib. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Hawk," Mister Bear bawled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," vouched Mrs. Hawk. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" shouted Mister Bear brightly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot buttered rum?"

"I can't stay," sneered Mrs. Hawk. I just want to ask you what you think of the wallaby that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," complained Mister Bear. "I didn't know about any wallaby. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," comforted Mrs. Hawk victoriously. "I heard that this wallaby likes to cook charts."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Hawk, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of wallabies cooking charts?"

"I can't imagine," emphasized Mister Bear.

"What are we going to do about it?" orated Mrs. Hawk.

"Appoint a committee?" spewed Mister Bear, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Hawk had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," whispered Mister Bear gingerly, 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. Hawk noisily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," vowed Mister Bear perkily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the catbird seat on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and preaching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Hawk. Do come again."

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

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

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

Mister Bear sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied lickety-split.