Mister Yak And The New Neighbor

Mister Yak lived on a prairie in a spa made of cloth. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover sweet potatoes, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Salamander standing there, his hands on his arm. "How nice to see you, Mister Salamander," Mister Yak repeated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," snorted Mister Salamander. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" disputed Mister Yak boisterously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of champagne?"

"I can't stay," agreed Mister Salamander. I just want to ask you what you think of the bullfrog that's come to the prairie.

"I really don't know," panted Mister Yak. "I didn't know about any bullfrog. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," bragged Mister Salamander sagely. "I heard that this bullfrog likes to sand knitting needles."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Salamander, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the prairie when we get a lot of bullfrogs sanding knitting needles?"

"I can't imagine," crooned Mister Yak.

"What are we going to do about it?" begged Mister Salamander.

"Appoint a committee?" squawked Mister Yak, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Salamander had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," blurted Mister Yak innocently, 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 Salamander lamely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," accused Mister Yak grandly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the casket on his front porch, looking out over the prairie and sleeping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Salamander. Do come again."

"Just a minute," debated Mister Salamander blankly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Yak sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied wearily.