Mister Walrus And The New Neighbor

Mister Walrus lived on a prairie in a bungalow made of junk cars. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg drop soup, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

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

"I can't stay," intoned Mrs. Otter. I just want to ask you what you think of the fox that's come to the prairie.

"I really don't know," jeered Mister Walrus. "I didn't know about any fox. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," gasped Mrs. Otter speedily. "I heard that this fox likes to roll pearls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Otter, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the prairie when we get a lot of foxes rolling pearls?"

"I can't imagine," tittered Mister Walrus.

"What are we going to do about it?" persisted Mrs. Otter.

"Appoint a committee?" piped up Mister Walrus, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Otter had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," insisted Mister Walrus pityingly, 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. Otter swiftly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," demanded Mister Walrus menacingly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the dining table on his front porch, looking out over the prairie and meowing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Otter. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blurted Mrs. Otter obediently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Walrus sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied busily.