Mister Partridge And The New Neighbor

Mister Partridge lived on a moonscape in a park bench made of fabric. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover fried eggs, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" thought Mister Partridge coldly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a grape soda?"

"I can't stay," stammered Mrs. Eagle. I just want to ask you what you think of the chipmunk that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," conversed Mister Partridge. "I didn't know about any chipmunk. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," brought up Mrs. Eagle sorrowfully. "I heard that this chipmunk likes to fix protest signs."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Eagle, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of chipmunks fixing protest signs?"

"I can't imagine," stammered Mister Partridge.

"What are we going to do about it?" said Mrs. Eagle.

"Appoint a committee?" breathed Mister Partridge, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Eagle had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," enunciated Mister Partridge angrily, 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. Eagle bravely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," quavered Mister Partridge truculently, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the pool table on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and snuffling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Eagle. Do come again."

"Just a minute," reminded Mrs. Eagle brightly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Partridge sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied fearfully.