Mister Dalmatian And The New Neighbor

Mister Dalmatian lived in a gully in a sand castle made of limestone. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cookies, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Peacock standing there, his hands on his little toe. "How nice to see you, Mister Peacock," Mister Dalmatian complained, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," nattered Mister Peacock. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" panted Mister Dalmatian blankly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Sangría?"

"I can't stay," declared Mister Peacock. I just want to ask you what you think of the duck-billed platypus that's come to the gully.

"I really don't know," opined Mister Dalmatian. "I didn't know about any duck-billed platypus. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," amended Mister Peacock fiercely. "I heard that this duck-billed platypus likes to dust clams."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Peacock, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gully when we get a lot of duck-billed platypi dusting clams?"

"I can't imagine," remarked Mister Dalmatian.

"What are we going to do about it?" decided Mister Peacock.

"Appoint a committee?" blathered Mister Dalmatian, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Peacock had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," stated Mister Dalmatian dolefully, 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 Peacock bitterly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," taunted Mister Dalmatian lightly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the fainting couch on his front porch, looking out over the gully and meditating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Peacock. Do come again."

"Just a minute," peeped Mister Peacock nimbly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Dalmatian sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied sympathetically.