Mister Weasel And The New Neighbor

Mister Weasel lived on a plateau in a convent made of cotton. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pot roast, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Parrot standing there, his hands on his rib. "How nice to see you, Mister Parrot," Mister Weasel swore, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," reminded Mister Parrot. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" phrased Mister Weasel solemnly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an iced tea?"

"I can't stay," blustered Mister Parrot. I just want to ask you what you think of the magpie that's come to the plateau.

"I really don't know," interpreted Mister Weasel. "I didn't know about any magpie. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," squawked Mister Parrot nimbly. "I heard that this magpie likes to extinguish crates."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Parrot, 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 magpies extinguishing crates?"

"I can't imagine," uttered Mister Weasel.

"What are we going to do about it?" crooned Mister Parrot.

"Appoint a committee?" phrased Mister Weasel, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Parrot had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," piped up Mister Weasel thoughtfully, 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 Parrot innocently. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," barked Mister Weasel boldly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on his front porch, looking out over the plateau and slobbering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Parrot. Do come again."

"Just a minute," boasted Mister Parrot unexpectedly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Weasel sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied craftily.