Mister Yeti And The New Neighbor

Mister Yeti lived in a bog in a dugout made of dreams and visions. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover Swiss cheese, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Hyena standing there, her hands on her kidney. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Hyena," Mister Yeti argued, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," whimpered Mrs. Hyena. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" preached Mister Yeti gingerly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of tequila?"

"I can't stay," protested Mrs. Hyena. I just want to ask you what you think of the baboon that's come to the bog.

"I really don't know," reminded Mister Yeti. "I didn't know about any baboon. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," grunted Mrs. Hyena frantically. "I heard that this baboon likes to shred stopwatches."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Hyena, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the bog when we get a lot of baboons shredding stopwatches?"

"I can't imagine," wept Mister Yeti.

"What are we going to do about it?" swore Mrs. Hyena.

"Appoint a committee?" exclaimed Mister Yeti, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Hyena had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," snorted Mister Yeti valiantly, 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. Hyena roughly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," noted Mister Yeti strangely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the washstand on his front porch, looking out over the bog and getting dizzy. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Hyena. Do come again."

"Just a minute," squealed Mrs. Hyena carefully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Yeti sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied lickety-split.