Mister Goat And The New Neighbor

Mister Goat lived in a badlands area in a wikiup made of sweat and toil. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover oyster on the half-shell, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Dormouse standing there, her hands on her lung. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dormouse," Mister Goat exclaimed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," hissed Mrs. Dormouse. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" retorted Mister Goat offhandedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cosmopolitan?"

"I can't stay," comforted Mrs. Dormouse. I just want to ask you what you think of the panther that's come to the badlands area.

"I really don't know," chanted Mister Goat. "I didn't know about any panther. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sneered Mrs. Dormouse boisterously. "I heard that this panther likes to rotate cookies."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dormouse, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the badlands area when we get a lot of panthers rotating cookies?"

"I can't imagine," sniveled Mister Goat.

"What are we going to do about it?" repeated Mrs. Dormouse.

"Appoint a committee?" responded Mister Goat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dormouse had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," drawled Mister Goat patiently, 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. Dormouse breathlessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," cajoled Mister Goat recklessly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the canopy bed on his front porch, looking out over the badlands area and spitting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dormouse. Do come again."

"Just a minute," croaked Mrs. Dormouse fearlessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Goat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied hopelessly.