Mister Camel And The New Neighbor

Mister Camel lived on a seacoast in a palace made of sandstone. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover brownies, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Magpie standing there, his hands on his spinal cord. "How nice to see you, Mister Magpie," Mister Camel screamed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," contended Mister Magpie. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" shouted Mister Camel cunningly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of Sanka?"

"I can't stay," insisted Mister Magpie. I just want to ask you what you think of the teddy bear that's come to the seacoast.

"I really don't know," wailed Mister Camel. "I didn't know about any teddy bear. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," vowed Mister Magpie joyously. "I heard that this teddy bear likes to smear spools of thread."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Magpie, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seacoast when we get a lot of teddy bears smearing spools of thread?"

"I can't imagine," belched Mister Camel.

"What are we going to do about it?" wailed Mister Magpie.

"Appoint a committee?" judged Mister Camel, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Magpie had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," opined Mister Camel smoothly, 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 Magpie arrogantly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yelped Mister Camel temperamentally, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the umbrella stand on his front porch, looking out over the seacoast and quivering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Magpie. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chimed Mister Magpie sternly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Camel sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied joyously.