Mister Canary And The New Neighbor

Mister Canary lived on a mountain in an apartment made of posts and beams. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover burritos, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Polecat standing there, her hands on her knee. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Polecat," Mister Canary smiled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sniffed Mrs. Polecat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" fretted Mister Canary grimly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of KoolAid?"

"I can't stay," shuddered Mrs. Polecat. I just want to ask you what you think of the Norway rat that's come to the mountain.

"I really don't know," affirmed Mister Canary. "I didn't know about any Norway rat. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," professed Mrs. Polecat ignobly. "I heard that this Norway rat likes to crush Rubik's cubes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Polecat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountain when we get a lot of Norway rats crushing Rubik's cubes?"

"I can't imagine," questioned Mister Canary.

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

"Appoint a committee?" judged Mister Canary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Polecat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," shuddered Mister Canary mysteriously, 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. Polecat angrily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," chanted Mister Canary thankfully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on his front porch, looking out over the mountain and sitting still. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Polecat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blustered Mrs. Polecat fondly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Canary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied warily.