Mister Kangaroo And The New Neighbor

Mister Kangaroo lived on a mountainside in a mud hut made of old rags. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ham, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" phrased Mister Kangaroo viciously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a sassafras tea?"

"I can't stay," vowed Mister Skunk. I just want to ask you what you think of the aardvark that's come to the mountainside.

"I really don't know," questioned Mister Kangaroo. "I didn't know about any aardvark. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," articulated Mister Skunk offhandedly. "I heard that this aardvark likes to recognize business cards."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Skunk, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountainside when we get a lot of aardvarks recognizing business cards?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" articulated Mister Skunk.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," stuttered Mister Kangaroo suspiciously, 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 Skunk calmly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," shrieked Mister Kangaroo ruefully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the recliner on his front porch, looking out over the mountainside and gesticulating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Skunk. Do come again."

"Just a minute," realized Mister Skunk wildly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

Mister Skunk 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 lamely.