Mister Jellyfish And The New Neighbor

Mister Jellyfish lived on a moonscape in a mobile home made of logs. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover blueberry pie, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Wallaby standing there, his hands on his pancreas. "How nice to see you, Mister Wallaby," Mister Jellyfish mumbled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," maintained Mister Wallaby. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" informed Mister Jellyfish sweetly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot toddy?"

"I can't stay," howled Mister Wallaby. I just want to ask you what you think of the monster that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," blathered Mister Jellyfish. "I didn't know about any monster. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," asserted Mister Wallaby lickety-split. "I heard that this monster likes to prod dishes."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Wallaby, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of monsters prodding dishes?"

"I can't imagine," asked Mister Jellyfish.

"What are we going to do about it?" whimpered Mister Wallaby.

"Appoint a committee?" acknowledged Mister Jellyfish, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Wallaby had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," blubbered Mister Jellyfish narrowly, 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 Wallaby pitifully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," professed Mister Jellyfish dubiously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the washing machine on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and daydreaming. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Wallaby. Do come again."

"Just a minute," opined Mister Wallaby nicely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Jellyfish sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied needlessly.