Mister Hawk And The New Neighbor

Mister Hawk lived beside a creek in a closet made of fabric. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover tuna casserole, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Chimpanzee standing there, her hands on her ego. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Chimpanzee," Mister Hawk provoked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," smiled Mrs. Chimpanzee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" agreed Mister Hawk pityingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a milkshake?"

"I can't stay," acknowledged Mrs. Chimpanzee. I just want to ask you what you think of the chicken that's come to the creek.

"I really don't know," intoned Mister Hawk. "I didn't know about any chicken. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," railed Mrs. Chimpanzee brashly. "I heard that this chicken likes to shellac fountain pens."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Chimpanzee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the creek when we get a lot of chickens shellacking fountain pens?"

"I can't imagine," interpreted Mister Hawk.

"What are we going to do about it?" croaked Mrs. Chimpanzee.

"Appoint a committee?" argued Mister Hawk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Chimpanzee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," retorted Mister Hawk daintily, 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. Chimpanzee ingeniously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," inquired Mister Hawk fondly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the china cabinet on his front porch, looking out over the creek and playing solitaire. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Chimpanzee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," reacted Mrs. Chimpanzee warily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Hawk sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied warily.