Mister Kangaroo And The New Neighbor

Mister Kangaroo lived on a hill in a cave made of plutonium. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover banana split, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Fish standing there, his hands on his eye. "How nice to see you, Mister Fish," Mister Kangaroo professed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," shouted Mister Fish. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" continued Mister Kangaroo intensely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of Kool-Aid?"

"I can't stay," recited Mister Fish. I just want to ask you what you think of the skunk that's come to the hill.

"I really don't know," boomed Mister Kangaroo. "I didn't know about any skunk. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sniped Mister Fish cautiously. "I heard that this skunk likes to grind computers."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Fish, 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 skunks grinding computers?"

"I can't imagine," declared Mister Kangaroo.

"What are we going to do about it?" commented Mister Fish.

"Appoint a committee?" said Mister Kangaroo, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Fish had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," alleged Mister Kangaroo ignobly, 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 Fish ignobly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," opined Mister Kangaroo calmly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the four-poster bed on his front porch, looking out over the hill and fulminating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Fish. Do come again."

"Just a minute," instructed Mister Fish cruelly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Kangaroo 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 Mrs. Fish doing these days?"

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

Mister Kangaroo sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied slyly.