Mister Snake And The New Neighbor

Mister Snake lived in a park in a studio made of rope. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover omelet, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Poodle standing there, her hands on her piehole. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Poodle," Mister Snake mumbled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," judged Mrs. Poodle. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" contended Mister Snake arrogantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Tom Collins?"

"I can't stay," asserted Mrs. Poodle. I just want to ask you what you think of the ghost that's come to the park.

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

"Well don't be so sure," pointed out Mrs. Poodle cruelly. "I heard that this ghost likes to grapple flashlights."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Poodle, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the park when we get a lot of ghosts grappling flashlights?"

"I can't imagine," appealed Mister Snake.

"What are we going to do about it?" invited Mrs. Poodle.

"Appoint a committee?" tittered Mister Snake, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Poodle had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," judged Mister Snake peevishly, 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. Poodle woodenly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," gasped Mister Snake boisterously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the coffee table on his front porch, looking out over the park and scratching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Poodle. Do come again."

"Just a minute," noted Mrs. Poodle nimbly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Snake sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied cautiously.