Mister Muskrat And The New Neighbor

Mister Muskrat lived in a neighborhood in a loft made of felt. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover French fries, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Mink standing there, her hands on her finger. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Mink," Mister Muskrat shuddered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sneered Mrs. Mink. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" blathered Mister Muskrat numbly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a martini?"

"I can't stay," emphasized Mrs. Mink. I just want to ask you what you think of the turtle that's come to the neighborhood.

"I really don't know," protested Mister Muskrat. "I didn't know about any turtle. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," questioned Mrs. Mink furiously. "I heard that this turtle likes to patch statues."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Mink, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the neighborhood when we get a lot of turtles patching statues?"

"I can't imagine," ranted Mister Muskrat.

"What are we going to do about it?" taunted Mrs. Mink.

"Appoint a committee?" asserted Mister Muskrat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Mink had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," raved Mister Muskrat swiftly, 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. Mink swiftly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hinted Mister Muskrat grimly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bathtub on his front porch, looking out over the neighborhood and hanging around. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Mink. Do come again."

"Just a minute," ranted Mrs. Mink hungrily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Muskrat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied haughtily.