Mister Pheasant And The New Neighbor

Mister Pheasant lived in a glen in a hovel made of sweat and toil. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pizza, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Poodle standing there, her hands on her head. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Poodle," Mister Pheasant emphasized, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chuckled Mrs. Poodle. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" panted Mister Pheasant suddenly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of cocoa?"

"I can't stay," declaimed Mrs. Poodle. I just want to ask you what you think of the kitty that's come to the glen.

"I really don't know," peeped Mister Pheasant. "I didn't know about any kitty. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," queried Mrs. Poodle quietly. "I heard that this kitty likes to push dollar bills."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Poodle, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the glen when we get a lot of kitties pushing dollar bills?"

"I can't imagine," orated Mister Pheasant.

"What are we going to do about it?" wept Mrs. Poodle.

"Appoint a committee?" hissed Mister Pheasant, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Poodle had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," bawled Mister Pheasant frenetically, 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. Poodle pitifully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," groveled Mister Pheasant noisily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the hamper on his front porch, looking out over the glen and rejoicing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Poodle. Do come again."

"Just a minute," queried Mrs. Poodle coolly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Pheasant sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied sagely.