Mister Buffalo And The New Neighbor

Mister Buffalo lived on a mesa in a houseboat made of lace. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover French fries, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" mouthed Mister Buffalo hysterically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Tom Collins?"

"I can't stay," sighed Mrs. Oyster. I just want to ask you what you think of the mouse that's come to the mesa.

"I really don't know," babbled Mister Buffalo. "I didn't know about any mouse. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," stammered Mrs. Oyster grandly. "I heard that this mouse likes to overturn Band-aids."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Oyster, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mesa when we get a lot of mice overturning Band-aids?"

"I can't imagine," warbled Mister Buffalo.

"What are we going to do about it?" yowled Mrs. Oyster.

"Appoint a committee?" screeched Mister Buffalo, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Oyster had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," laughed Mister Buffalo deftly, 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. Oyster courteously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," avowed Mister Buffalo tensely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the water bed on his front porch, looking out over the mesa and doodling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Oyster. Do come again."

"Just a minute," piped up Mrs. Oyster confidently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Buffalo sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied fearfully.