Mister Troll And The New Neighbor

Mister Troll lived on a battlefield in a treehouse made of paper. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover spaghetti, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Leopard standing there, her hands on her big toe. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Leopard," Mister Troll sighed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," laughed Mrs. Leopard. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" questioned Mister Troll zestily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a whiskey?"

"I can't stay," affirmed Mrs. Leopard. I just want to ask you what you think of the bunny that's come to the battlefield.

"I really don't know," howled Mister Troll. "I didn't know about any bunny. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," blurted Mrs. Leopard sadly. "I heard that this bunny likes to shrink snails."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Leopard, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the battlefield when we get a lot of bunnies shrinking snails?"

"I can't imagine," clarified Mister Troll.

"What are we going to do about it?" persisted Mrs. Leopard.

"Appoint a committee?" queried Mister Troll, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Leopard had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," screamed Mister Troll firmly, 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. Leopard openly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," concluded Mister Troll lamely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the armoire on his front porch, looking out over the battlefield and playing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Leopard. Do come again."

"Just a minute," called Mrs. Leopard lamely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Troll sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied ingeniously.