Mister Troll And The New Neighbor

Mister Troll lived in a country meadow in a dugout made of peanut butter. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover crumb cake, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Chicken standing there, his hands on his artery. "How nice to see you, Mister Chicken," Mister Troll intimated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," retorted Mister Chicken. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" simpered Mister Troll reluctantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"I can't stay," pronounced Mister Chicken. I just want to ask you what you think of the shrew that's come to the country meadow.

"I really don't know," whispered Mister Troll. "I didn't know about any shrew. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," chanted Mister Chicken defiantly. "I heard that this shrew likes to study cream puffs."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Chicken, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the country meadow when we get a lot of shrews studying cream puffs?"

"I can't imagine," enunciated Mister Troll.

"What are we going to do about it?" joked Mister Chicken.

"Appoint a committee?" bragged Mister Troll, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Chicken had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," concluded Mister Troll gingerly, 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 Chicken viciously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," spat Mister Troll joyously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the dining table on his front porch, looking out over the country meadow and lying down. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Chicken. Do come again."

"Just a minute," moaned Mister Chicken thoughtfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Troll sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied flightily.