Mister Ox And The New Neighbor

Mister Ox lived in a rainforest in a park bench made of ivory. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ice cream, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Coyote standing there, his hands on his midriff. "How nice to see you, Mister Coyote," Mister Ox hummed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," murmured Mister Coyote. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" remarked Mister Ox crankily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of tomato juice?"

"I can't stay," mused Mister Coyote. I just want to ask you what you think of the Siamese cat that's come to the rainforest.

"I really don't know," pronounced Mister Ox. "I didn't know about any Siamese cat. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," squawked Mister Coyote admiringly. "I heard that this Siamese cat likes to overturn packages."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Coyote, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the rainforest when we get a lot of Siamese cats overturning packages?"

"I can't imagine," gabbed Mister Ox.

"What are we going to do about it?" noted Mister Coyote.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," whimpered Mister Ox woodenly, 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 Coyote tensely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," raved Mister Ox temperamentally, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the card table on his front porch, looking out over the rainforest and chuckling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Coyote. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wondered Mister Coyote stealthily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Ox sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied busily.