Mister Porcupine And The New Neighbor

Mister Porcupine lived on a trail in a townhouse made of gold bricks. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover bonbons, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Cheetah standing there, her hands on her ankle. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Cheetah," Mister Porcupine spewed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," shouted Mrs. Cheetah. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" whispered Mister Porcupine gingerly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of espresso?"

"I can't stay," mentioned Mrs. Cheetah. I just want to ask you what you think of the bull that's come to the trail.

"I really don't know," belched Mister Porcupine. "I didn't know about any bull. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," avowed Mrs. Cheetah daintily. "I heard that this bull likes to silence bowls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Cheetah, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the trail when we get a lot of bulls silencing bowls?"

"I can't imagine," spat Mister Porcupine.

"What are we going to do about it?" harangued Mrs. Cheetah.

"Appoint a committee?" indicated Mister Porcupine, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Cheetah had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," warbled Mister Porcupine majestically, 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. Cheetah urgently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hollered Mister Porcupine defiantly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the chest of drawers on his front porch, looking out over the trail and snoring. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Cheetah. Do come again."

"Just a minute," simpered Mrs. Cheetah thankfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Porcupine sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied intensely.