Mister Moose And The New Neighbor

Mister Moose lived on a moonscape in a penthouse made of wire. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fried okra, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" declared Mister Moose woefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot toddy?"

"I can't stay," smiled Mrs. Finch. I just want to ask you what you think of the chipmunk that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," snorted Mister Moose. "I didn't know about any chipmunk. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sputtered Mrs. Finch furiously. "I heard that this chipmunk likes to ridicule telephones."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Finch, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of chipmunks ridiculing telephones?"

"I can't imagine," stammered Mister Moose.

"What are we going to do about it?" instructed Mrs. Finch.

"Appoint a committee?" retorted Mister Moose, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Finch had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," interrupted Mister Moose kindly, 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. Finch tenderly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," murmured Mister Moose caustically, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the canopy bed on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and humming. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Finch. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blubbered Mrs. Finch glibly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Moose sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied shyly.