Mister Anteater And The New Neighbor

Mister Anteater lived in a housing development in a condominium made of sandstone. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast turkey, 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 Mister Bison standing there, his hands on his earlobe. "How nice to see you, Mister Bison," Mister Anteater hollered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," griped Mister Bison. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sniped Mister Anteater hastily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of KoolAid?"

"I can't stay," wondered Mister Bison. I just want to ask you what you think of the brine shrimp that's come to the housing development.

"I really don't know," added Mister Anteater. "I didn't know about any brine shrimp. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," decided Mister Bison victoriously. "I heard that this brine shrimp likes to shoot cream puffs."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Bison, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the housing development when we get a lot of brine shrimp shooting cream puffs?"

"I can't imagine," implored Mister Anteater.

"What are we going to do about it?" reacted Mister Bison.

"Appoint a committee?" roared Mister Anteater, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Bison had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," snorted Mister Anteater lazily, 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 Bison effortlessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," asserted Mister Anteater craftily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the windowsill on his front porch, looking out over the housing development and calming down. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Bison. Do come again."

"Just a minute," hissed Mister Bison smoothly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Anteater sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied narrowly.