Mister Snake And The New Neighbor

Mister Snake lived alongside a stream in a treehouse made of cardboard. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover strawberry shortcake, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Snake standing there, her hands on her belly button. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Snake," Mister Snake asked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," voiced Mrs. Snake. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" queried Mister Snake sagely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a daiquiri?"

"I can't stay," griped Mrs. Snake. I just want to ask you what you think of the airedale that's come to the stream.

"I really don't know," begged Mister Snake. "I didn't know about any airedale. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," vouched Mrs. Snake warmly. "I heard that this airedale likes to brush hammers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Snake, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the stream when we get a lot of airedales brushing hammers?"

"I can't imagine," bellowed Mister Snake.

"What are we going to do about it?" lamented Mrs. Snake.

"Appoint a committee?" hummed Mister Snake, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Snake had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," amended Mister Snake hastily, 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. Snake hastily. "You always have such good ideas."

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

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

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

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

Mister Snake sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied proudly.