Mister Shark And The New Neighbor

Mister Shark lived on a cliff in a treehouse made of cornstalks. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover biscuits and gravy, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Rabbit standing there, her hands on her face. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Rabbit," Mister Shark blustered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," complained Mrs. Rabbit. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" implored Mister Shark speedily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a beer?"

"I can't stay," informed Mrs. Rabbit. I just want to ask you what you think of the sasquatch that's come to the cliff.

"I really don't know," winked Mister Shark. "I didn't know about any sasquatch. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," noted Mrs. Rabbit ferociously. "I heard that this sasquatch likes to unlock cans of sardines."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Rabbit, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cliff when we get a lot of sasquatches unlocking cans of sardines?"

"I can't imagine," hummed Mister Shark.

"What are we going to do about it?" argued Mrs. Rabbit.

"Appoint a committee?" muttered Mister Shark, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Rabbit had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," crooned Mister Shark hysterically, 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. Rabbit fiercely. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," purred Mister Shark hopefully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the hatstand on his front porch, looking out over the cliff and dancing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Rabbit. Do come again."

"Just a minute," drawled Mrs. Rabbit immediately. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Shark sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied viciously.