Mister Orangutan And The New Neighbor

Mister Orangutan lived on a plain in a hotel made of satin. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pecan pie, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" taunted Mister Orangutan pitifully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of wine?"

"I can't stay," yawned Mister Toad. I just want to ask you what you think of the garter snake that's come to the plain.

"I really don't know," giggled Mister Orangutan. "I didn't know about any garter snake. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," exclaimed Mister Toad ruefully. "I heard that this garter snake likes to demolish pink flamingoes."

"Um, I don't know what to say," spoke up Mister Orangutan, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Toad, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plain when we get a lot of garter snakes demolishing pink flamingoes?"

"I can't imagine," repeated Mister Orangutan.

"What are we going to do about it?" remarked Mister Toad.

"Appoint a committee?" answered Mister Orangutan, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Toad had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," maintained Mister Orangutan temperamentally, 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 Toad furiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," belched Mister Orangutan jokingly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the coat rack on his front porch, looking out over the plain and coming over. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Toad. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wept Mister Toad happily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Orangutan sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied numbly.