Mister Gecko And The New Neighbor

Mister Gecko lived beside a creek in a treehouse made of stone. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast Cornish game hen, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Parakeet standing there, his hands on his liver. "How nice to see you, Mister Parakeet," Mister Gecko mentioned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," winked Mister Parakeet. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" reasoned Mister Gecko warily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a daiquiri?"

"I can't stay," spouted Mister Parakeet. I just want to ask you what you think of the rhinoceros that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," exclaimed Mister Gecko. "I didn't know about any rhinoceros. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," trumpeted Mister Parakeet delicately. "I heard that this rhinoceros likes to taste pink flamingoes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Parakeet, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of rhinoceroses tasting pink flamingoes?"

"I can't imagine," explained Mister Gecko.

"What are we going to do about it?" amended Mister Parakeet.

"Appoint a committee?" argued Mister Gecko, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Parakeet had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," breathed Mister Gecko nimbly, 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 Parakeet properly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," affirmed Mister Gecko breathlessly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the piano on his front porch, looking out over the creek and thinking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Parakeet. Do come again."

"Just a minute," conversed Mister Parakeet cruelly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Gecko sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied positively.