Mister Cheetah And The New Neighbor

Mister Cheetah lived in a pasture in a resort made of adobe. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover beans, 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 Orangutan standing there, his hands on his front tooth. "How nice to see you, Mister Orangutan," Mister Cheetah wondered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sniveled Mister Orangutan. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" whined Mister Cheetah oddly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cosmopolitan?"

"I can't stay," whimpered Mister Orangutan. I just want to ask you what you think of the nightingale that's come to the pasture.

"I really don't know," reasoned Mister Cheetah. "I didn't know about any nightingale. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," reacted Mister Orangutan nicely. "I heard that this nightingale likes to stack dollhouses."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Orangutan, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pasture when we get a lot of nightingales stacking dollhouses?"

"I can't imagine," bragged Mister Cheetah.

"What are we going to do about it?" requested Mister Orangutan.

"Appoint a committee?" barked Mister Cheetah, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Orangutan had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," instructed Mister Cheetah calmly, 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 Orangutan grudgingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," bragged Mister Cheetah intensely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the pedestal on his front porch, looking out over the pasture and itching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Orangutan. Do come again."

"Just a minute," breathed Mister Orangutan openly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Cheetah sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied lightly.