Mister Ant And The New Neighbor

Mister Ant lived on a mountaintop in a villa made of jewels. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover chopped liver, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Ox standing there, his hands on his gall bladder. "How nice to see you, Mister Ox," Mister Ant instructed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," boasted Mister Ox. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" divulged Mister Ant nonchalantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a margarita?"

"I can't stay," emphasized Mister Ox. I just want to ask you what you think of the troll that's come to the mountaintop.

"I really don't know," clarified Mister Ant. "I didn't know about any troll. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," rationalized Mister Ox fearfully. "I heard that this troll likes to loosen batons."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Ox, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountaintop when we get a lot of trolls loosening batons?"

"I can't imagine," whined Mister Ant.

"What are we going to do about it?" realized Mister Ox.

"Appoint a committee?" instructed Mister Ant, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Ox had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," barked Mister Ant sharply, 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 Ox frantically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," suggested Mister Ant blankly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the buffet on his front porch, looking out over the mountaintop and jiggling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Ox. Do come again."

"Just a minute," persisted Mister Ox kindly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Ant sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied admiringly.