Mister Mule And The New Neighbor

Mister Mule lived in a bog in a closet made of nuts and bolts. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover oatmeal, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Bumblebee standing there, her hands on her fingernail. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Bumblebee," Mister Mule fantasized, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," warbled Mrs. Bumblebee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" intimated Mister Mule wildly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin fizz?"

"I can't stay," railed Mrs. Bumblebee. I just want to ask you what you think of the cat that's come to the bog.

"I really don't know," expressed Mister Mule. "I didn't know about any cat. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," blathered Mrs. Bumblebee pityingly. "I heard that this cat likes to neglect brushes."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Bumblebee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the bog when we get a lot of cats neglecting brushes?"

"I can't imagine," warbled Mister Mule.

"What are we going to do about it?" articulated Mrs. Bumblebee.

"Appoint a committee?" realized Mister Mule, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Bumblebee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," exploded Mister Mule haughtily, 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. Bumblebee ferociously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," said Mister Mule sadly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bunk bed on his front porch, looking out over the bog and flushing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Bumblebee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," demanded Mrs. Bumblebee noisily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Mule sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied irritably.