Mister Seal And The New Neighbor

Mister Seal lived in a park in a cardboard box made of yarn. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover egg rolls, 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 Mister Tsetse fly standing there, his hands on his hoof. "How nice to see you, Mister Tsetse fly," Mister Seal whined, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," bragged Mister Tsetse fly. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," worried Mister Tsetse fly. I just want to ask you what you think of the hawk that's come to the park.

"I really don't know," brought up Mister Seal. "I didn't know about any hawk. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," snarled Mister Tsetse fly reluctantly. "I heard that this hawk likes to sand bowls."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Tsetse fly, 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 hawks sanding bowls?"

"I can't imagine," insisted Mister Seal.

"What are we going to do about it?" shrieked Mister Tsetse fly.

"Appoint a committee?" worried Mister Seal, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Tsetse fly had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Tsetse fly hysterically. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," whispered Mister Seal properly, 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 Tsetse fly gruffly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," winked Mister Seal furiously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the four-poster bed on his front porch, looking out over the park and bleeding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Tsetse fly. Do come again."

"Just a minute," chortled Mister Tsetse fly truculently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Seal sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied victoriously.