Mister Antelope And The New Neighbor

Mister Antelope lived on a hill in a mobile home made of asbestos. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover country glazed ham, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Wallaby standing there, his hands on his little toe. "How nice to see you, Mister Wallaby," Mister Antelope analyzed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," swore Mister Wallaby. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" clarified Mister Antelope unabashedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a rum and Coke?"

"I can't stay," enunciated Mister Wallaby. I just want to ask you what you think of the computer that's come to the hill.

"I really don't know," repeated Mister Antelope. "I didn't know about any computer. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," alleged Mister Wallaby trustingly. "I heard that this computer likes to neglect feathers."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Wallaby, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hill when we get a lot of computers neglecting feathers?"

"I can't imagine," avowed Mister Antelope.

"What are we going to do about it?" fantasized Mister Wallaby.

"Appoint a committee?" analyzed Mister Antelope, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Wallaby had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," trumpeted Mister Antelope uselessly, 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 Wallaby sheepishly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," expressed Mister Antelope briskly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the couch on his front porch, looking out over the hill and squinting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Wallaby. Do come again."

"Just a minute," admitted Mister Wallaby daringly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Antelope sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied again.