Mister Salamander And The New Neighbor

Mister Salamander lived in a pond in a farmhouse made of paper. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover mashed potatoes, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Flea standing there, his hands on his lip. "How nice to see you, Mister Flea," Mister Salamander repeated, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," vowed Mister Flea. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" exclaimed Mister Salamander oddly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a 7-Up?"

"I can't stay," demanded Mister Flea. I just want to ask you what you think of the orangutan that's come to the pond.

"I really don't know," acknowledged Mister Salamander. "I didn't know about any orangutan. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sputtered Mister Flea ingeniously. "I heard that this orangutan likes to stack notebooks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Flea, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the pond when we get a lot of orangutans stacking notebooks?"

"I can't imagine," implored Mister Salamander.

"What are we going to do about it?" urged Mister Flea.

"Appoint a committee?" howled Mister Salamander, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Flea had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," affirmed Mister Salamander uneasily, 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 Flea arrogantly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," contended Mister Salamander sarcastically, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the settee on his front porch, looking out over the pond and doing nothing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Flea. Do come again."

"Just a minute," mouthed Mister Flea reluctantly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Salamander sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied sympathetically.