Mister Puppy And The New Neighbor

Mister Puppy lived in a cornfield in a manor house made of cards. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ice cream, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Dingo standing there, her hands on her spine. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dingo," Mister Puppy decided, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," quavered Mrs. Dingo. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" recited Mister Puppy obediently, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a bottle of Gatorade?"

"I can't stay," pointed out Mrs. Dingo. I just want to ask you what you think of the ant that's come to the cornfield.

"I really don't know," roared Mister Puppy. "I didn't know about any ant. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," exclaimed Mrs. Dingo noisily. "I heard that this ant likes to replace microscopes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dingo, 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 ants replacing microscopes?"

"I can't imagine," bragged Mister Puppy.

"What are we going to do about it?" amended Mrs. Dingo.

"Appoint a committee?" lectured Mister Puppy, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dingo had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," grieved Mister Puppy grandly, 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. Dingo suspiciously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," quoted Mister Puppy strictly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the hammock on his front porch, looking out over the cornfield and burping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dingo. Do come again."

"Just a minute," commented Mrs. Dingo carelessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Puppy sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied woefully.