Mister Parakeet And The New Neighbor

Mister Parakeet lived on a peninsula in a condominium made of deer hide. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover shrimp, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" gasped Mister Parakeet sourly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a piña colada?"

"I can't stay," blurted Mister Dalmatian. I just want to ask you what you think of the German Shepherd that's come to the peninsula.

"I really don't know," proposed Mister Parakeet. "I didn't know about any German Shepherd. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," opined Mister Dalmatian deliberately. "I heard that this German Shepherd likes to lengthen pieces of paper."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Dalmatian, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the peninsula when we get a lot of German Shepherds lengthening pieces of paper?"

"I can't imagine," griped Mister Parakeet.

"What are we going to do about it?" yelled Mister Dalmatian.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," quoted Mister Parakeet cruelly, 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 Dalmatian swiftly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hollered Mister Parakeet gruffly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the cushion on his front porch, looking out over the peninsula and snarling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Dalmatian. Do come again."

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

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

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

Mister Parakeet sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied wearily.