Mister Lizard And The New Neighbor

Mister Lizard lived in a grassland in a convent made of mud bricks. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover apple pie, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Mouse standing there, her hands on her tail. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Mouse," Mister Lizard concluded, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," breathed Mrs. Mouse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" articulated Mister Lizard cleverly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cosmopolitan?"

"I can't stay," remarked Mrs. Mouse. I just want to ask you what you think of the ghost that's come to the grassland.

"I really don't know," appealed Mister Lizard. "I didn't know about any ghost. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," mused Mrs. Mouse bravely. "I heard that this ghost likes to modify dog biscuits."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mouse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the grassland when we get a lot of ghosts modifying dog biscuits?"

"I can't imagine," gasped Mister Lizard.

"What are we going to do about it?" blustered Mrs. Mouse.

"Appoint a committee?" groveled Mister Lizard, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mouse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," peeped Mister Lizard tenderly, 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. Mouse energetically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," thought Mister Lizard fearfully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the credenza on his front porch, looking out over the grassland and sneering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mouse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," cried Mrs. Mouse mysteriously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Lizard sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied uselessly.