Mister Penguin And The New Neighbor

Mister Penguin lived in a gulch in a duplex made of old bottles. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover omelet, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Mouse standing there, his hands on his thyroid gland. "How nice to see you, Mister Mouse," Mister Penguin conversed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," croaked Mister Mouse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" acknowledged Mister Penguin coolly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot buttered rum?"

"I can't stay," snarled Mister Mouse. I just want to ask you what you think of the doggie that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," decided Mister Penguin. "I didn't know about any doggie. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," argued Mister Mouse grandly. "I heard that this doggie likes to wax church keys."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Mouse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of doggies waxing church keys?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" said Mister Mouse.

"Appoint a committee?" vouched Mister Penguin, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Mouse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," croaked Mister Penguin stealthily, 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 Mouse bravely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," belched Mister Penguin oddly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the display case on his front porch, looking out over the gulch and peeping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Mouse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," begged Mister Mouse proudly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Penguin sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied wildly.