Mister Coyote And The New Neighbor

Mister Coyote lived on a prairie in a sand castle made of flour paste. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg rolls, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Rattlesnake standing there, his hands on his knuckle. "How nice to see you, Mister Rattlesnake," Mister Coyote asserted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chattered Mister Rattlesnake. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" giggled Mister Coyote sadly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Sangría?"

"I can't stay," instructed Mister Rattlesnake. I just want to ask you what you think of the cobra that's come to the prairie.

"I really don't know," bragged Mister Coyote. "I didn't know about any cobra. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," debated Mister Rattlesnake bitterly. "I heard that this cobra likes to pinch Rubik's cubes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Rattlesnake, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the prairie when we get a lot of cobras pinching Rubik's cubes?"

"I can't imagine," raved Mister Coyote.

"What are we going to do about it?" crooned Mister Rattlesnake.

"Appoint a committee?" noted Mister Coyote, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Rattlesnake had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," declaimed Mister Coyote perkily, 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 Rattlesnake gratefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," warbled Mister Coyote deliberately, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the chest of drawers on his front porch, looking out over the prairie and running. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Rattlesnake. Do come again."

"Just a minute," repeated Mister Rattlesnake oddly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Coyote sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied menacingly.