Mister Canary And The New Neighbor

Mister Canary lived on a wasteland in a hut made of fabric. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover omelet, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Magpie standing there, her hands on her lung. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Magpie," Mister Canary sniffed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," bawled Mrs. Magpie. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" spouted Mister Canary shakily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Dr. Pepper?"

"I can't stay," howled Mrs. Magpie. I just want to ask you what you think of the otter that's come to the wasteland.

"I really don't know," laughed Mister Canary. "I didn't know about any otter. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," declared Mrs. Magpie viciously. "I heard that this otter likes to taste canes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Magpie, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the wasteland when we get a lot of otters tasting canes?"

"I can't imagine," piped up Mister Canary.

"What are we going to do about it?" tittered Mrs. Magpie.

"Appoint a committee?" sniffed Mister Canary, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Magpie had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," rumored Mister Canary lamely, 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. Magpie boldly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," yammered Mister Canary lightly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on his front porch, looking out over the wasteland and pondering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Magpie. Do come again."

"Just a minute," conversed Mrs. Magpie victoriously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Canary sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied slyly.