Mister Monster And The New Neighbor

Mister Monster lived in a pasture in a travel trailer made of old newspapers. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chicken pot pie, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Eel standing there, her hands on her chest. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Eel," Mister Monster spouted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," disputed Mrs. Eel. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" crooned Mister Monster irritably, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a grape soda?"

"I can't stay," muttered Mrs. Eel. I just want to ask you what you think of the canary that's come to the pasture.

"I really don't know," boasted Mister Monster. "I didn't know about any canary. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," professed Mrs. Eel threateningly. "I heard that this canary likes to duplicate comic books."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Eel, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pasture when we get a lot of canaries duplicating comic books?"

"I can't imagine," bawled Mister Monster.

"What are we going to do about it?" screamed Mrs. Eel.

"Appoint a committee?" amended Mister Monster, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Eel had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," whined Mister Monster shakily, 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. Eel energetically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," provoked Mister Monster carefully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bookcase on his front porch, looking out over the pasture and howling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Eel. Do come again."

"Just a minute," gabbed Mrs. Eel gently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Monster sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied slyly.