Mister Phantom And The New Neighbor

Mister Phantom lived on a steppe in a house made of marble. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover beef bouillon, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" cried Mister Phantom merrily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Shirley Temple?"

"I can't stay," howled Mrs. Mongoose. I just want to ask you what you think of the android that's come to the steppe.

"I really don't know," indicated Mister Phantom. "I didn't know about any android. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," guessed Mrs. Mongoose strangely. "I heard that this android likes to wrap hammers."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mongoose, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the steppe when we get a lot of androids wrapping hammers?"

"I can't imagine," offered Mister Phantom.

"What are we going to do about it?" scoffed Mrs. Mongoose.

"Appoint a committee?" announced Mister Phantom, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mongoose had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," opined Mister Phantom elatedly, 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. Mongoose blissfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," groveled Mister Phantom narrowly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bench on his front porch, looking out over the steppe and clearing out. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mongoose. Do come again."

"Just a minute," orated Mrs. Mongoose victoriously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Phantom sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied sheepishly.