Mister Peacock And The New Neighbor

Mister Peacock lived on a path in a sod house made of rubble. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover dirty rice, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Spider standing there, her hands on her thumb. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Spider," Mister Peacock peeped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," lectured Mrs. Spider. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," noted Mrs. Spider. I just want to ask you what you think of the butterfly that's come to the path.

"I really don't know," squawked Mister Peacock. "I didn't know about any butterfly. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," snarled Mrs. Spider sarcastically. "I heard that this butterfly likes to crack urns."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Spider, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the path when we get a lot of butterflies cracking urns?"

"I can't imagine," declaimed Mister Peacock.

"What are we going to do about it?" clarified Mrs. Spider.

"Appoint a committee?" realized Mister Peacock, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Spider had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," responded Mister Peacock grandly, 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. Spider fervently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," affirmed Mister Peacock coldly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the desk on his front porch, looking out over the path and inhaling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Spider. Do come again."

"Just a minute," fantasized Mrs. Spider craftily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Peacock sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied innocently.