Mister Meerkat And The New Neighbor

Mister Meerkat lived in an arroyo in a houseboat made of slate. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cornbread, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Parrot standing there, her hands on her eyelash. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Parrot," Mister Meerkat protested, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," began Mrs. Parrot. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" vowed Mister Meerkat needlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bacardi?"

"I can't stay," demanded Mrs. Parrot. I just want to ask you what you think of the pony that's come to the arroyo.

"I really don't know," screeched Mister Meerkat. "I didn't know about any pony. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," divulged Mrs. Parrot fervently. "I heard that this pony likes to shrink brushes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Parrot, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the arroyo when we get a lot of ponies shrinking brushes?"

"I can't imagine," wailed Mister Meerkat.

"What are we going to do about it?" contended Mrs. Parrot.

"Appoint a committee?" protested Mister Meerkat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Parrot had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," sputtered Mister Meerkat peevishly, 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. Parrot diligently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," professed Mister Meerkat mysteriously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the footstool on his front porch, looking out over the arroyo and getting dizzy. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Parrot. Do come again."

"Just a minute," harangued Mrs. Parrot blissfully. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Meerkat 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 Parrot doing these days?"

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

Mister Meerkat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied demurely.