Mister Bull And The New Neighbor

Mister Bull lived in a housing development in a cabin made of Portland cement. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cabbage rolls, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Dormouse standing there, her hands on her carotid artery. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dormouse," Mister Bull cried, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," judged Mrs. Dormouse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" simpered Mister Bull testily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bloody Mary?"

"I can't stay," screeched Mrs. Dormouse. I just want to ask you what you think of the finch that's come to the housing development.

"I really don't know," decided Mister Bull. "I didn't know about any finch. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," noted Mrs. Dormouse intensely. "I heard that this finch likes to stabilize pairs of scissors."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dormouse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the housing development when we get a lot of finches stabilizing pairs of scissors?"

"I can't imagine," yowled Mister Bull.

"What are we going to do about it?" squealed Mrs. Dormouse.

"Appoint a committee?" vowed Mister Bull, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dormouse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," hinted Mister Bull gracefully, 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. Dormouse cunningly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," blathered Mister Bull properly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bookshelf on his front porch, looking out over the housing development and hollering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dormouse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," continued Mrs. Dormouse brightly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Bull sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied glibly.