Mister Teddy Bear And The New Neighbor

Mister Teddy bear lived on a hillside in a cave made of tar. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lasagna, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Mouse standing there, her hands on her beard. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Mouse," Mister Teddy bear blathered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," grunted Mrs. Mouse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" hinted Mister Teddy bear stupidly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a root beer float?"

"I can't stay," wondered Mrs. Mouse. I just want to ask you what you think of the raccoon that's come to the hillside.

"I really don't know," noted Mister Teddy bear. "I didn't know about any raccoon. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," spoke up Mrs. Mouse repeatedly. "I heard that this raccoon likes to admire shovels."

"Um, I don't know what to say," queried Mister Teddy bear, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mouse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hillside when we get a lot of raccoons admiring shovels?"

"I can't imagine," raved Mister Teddy bear.

"What are we going to do about it?" continued Mrs. Mouse.

"Appoint a committee?" persisted Mister Teddy bear, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mouse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," remarked Mister Teddy bear sternly, 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. Mouse needlessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," declaimed Mister Teddy bear boisterously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on his front porch, looking out over the hillside and knitting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mouse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," spoke up Mrs. Mouse flightily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Teddy bear sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied sharply.