Mister Horse And The New Neighbor

Mister Horse lived on a moonscape in a dugout made of blocks of ice. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Cheerios, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Donkey standing there, her hands on her heart. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Donkey," Mister Horse sniffed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," growled Mrs. Donkey. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," prattled Mrs. Donkey. I just want to ask you what you think of the rabbit that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," implored Mister Horse. "I didn't know about any rabbit. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," gabbed Mrs. Donkey blindly. "I heard that this rabbit likes to cook magazines."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Donkey, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of rabbits cooking magazines?"

"I can't imagine," interpreted Mister Horse.

"What are we going to do about it?" noted Mrs. Donkey.

"Appoint a committee?" reacted Mister Horse, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Donkey had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," informed Mister Horse blindly, 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. Donkey irritably. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," admitted Mister Horse excitedly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the workbench on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and freaking out. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Donkey. Do come again."

"Just a minute," expressed Mrs. Donkey testily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Horse 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 Donkey doing these days?"

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

Mister Horse sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied lightly.