Mister Airedale And The New Neighbor

Mister Airedale lived on a plateau in a yurt made of papier-mâché. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ham, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" reasoned Mister Airedale calmly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of milk?"

"I can't stay," declared Mrs. Meerkat. I just want to ask you what you think of the antelope that's come to the plateau.

"I really don't know," yowled Mister Airedale. "I didn't know about any antelope. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," chattered Mrs. Meerkat uselessly. "I heard that this antelope likes to study hair brushes."

"Um, I don't know what to say," brought up Mister Airedale, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Meerkat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plateau when we get a lot of antelopes studying hair brushes?"

"I can't imagine," interpreted Mister Airedale.

"What are we going to do about it?" blustered Mrs. Meerkat.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," spouted Mister Airedale dubiously, 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. Meerkat demurely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," fantasized Mister Airedale silently, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the hammock on his front porch, looking out over the plateau and twitching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Meerkat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," pointed out Mrs. Meerkat narrowly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Airedale sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied grandly.