Mister Manatee And The New Neighbor

Mister Manatee lived on a seacoast in a farmhouse made of denim. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover steak, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Fawn standing there, her hands on her little finger. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Fawn," Mister Manatee blubbered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," howled Mrs. Fawn. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" imitated Mister Manatee gruffly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of Kool-Aid?"

"I can't stay," revealed Mrs. Fawn. I just want to ask you what you think of the android that's come to the seacoast.

"I really don't know," cackled Mister Manatee. "I didn't know about any android. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," intimated Mrs. Fawn automatically. "I heard that this android likes to swipe coffee pots."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Fawn, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seacoast when we get a lot of androids swiping coffee pots?"

"I can't imagine," realized Mister Manatee.

"What are we going to do about it?" blurted Mrs. Fawn.

"Appoint a committee?" added Mister Manatee, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Fawn had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," rationalized Mister Manatee roughly, 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. Fawn blissfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," exclaimed Mister Manatee smoothly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the wooden crate on his front porch, looking out over the seacoast and jumping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Fawn. Do come again."

"Just a minute," gasped Mrs. Fawn offhandedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Manatee sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied victoriously.