Mister Mink And The New Neighbor

Mister Mink lived in a meadow in a duplex made of bubbles. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover banana split, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Ant standing there, his hands on his skin. "How nice to see you, Mister Ant," Mister Mink brought up, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," cackled Mister Ant. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" exploded Mister Mink elatedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a beer?"

"I can't stay," gasped Mister Ant. I just want to ask you what you think of the worm that's come to the meadow.

"I really don't know," queried Mister Mink. "I didn't know about any worm. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," maintained Mister Ant bitterly. "I heard that this worm likes to extinguish key rings."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Ant, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the meadow when we get a lot of worms extinguishing key rings?"

"I can't imagine," agreed Mister Mink.

"What are we going to do about it?" lamented Mister Ant.

"Appoint a committee?" asserted Mister Mink, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Ant had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," remarked Mister Mink sorrowfully, 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 Ant oddly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," smiled Mister Mink oddly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the footstool on his front porch, looking out over the meadow and moaning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Ant. Do come again."

"Just a minute," professed Mister Ant repeatedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Mink sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied boisterously.