Mister Lynx And The New Neighbor

Mister Lynx lived on a hill in a sod house made of bark. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover borscht, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Dolphin standing there, her hands on her hip. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dolphin," Mister Lynx bellowed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," smiled Mrs. Dolphin. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" asked Mister Lynx stupidly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of cocoa?"

"I can't stay," explained Mrs. Dolphin. I just want to ask you what you think of the computer that's come to the hill.

"I really don't know," amended Mister Lynx. "I didn't know about any computer. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," crooned Mrs. Dolphin recklessly. "I heard that this computer likes to unbutton pipes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dolphin, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the hill when we get a lot of computers unbuttoning pipes?"

"I can't imagine," growled Mister Lynx.

"What are we going to do about it?" smiled Mrs. Dolphin.

"Appoint a committee?" professed Mister Lynx, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dolphin had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," accused Mister Lynx brightly, 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. Dolphin stupidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," whispered Mister Lynx sleepily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the counter on his front porch, looking out over the hill and rocking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dolphin. Do come again."

"Just a minute," bawled Mrs. Dolphin obediently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Lynx sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied miserably.