Mister Banana Slug And The New Neighbor

Mister Banana slug lived in a field in a condominium made of noodles. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover hamburgers, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Kitten standing there, her hands on her artery. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Kitten," Mister Banana slug sniffed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," emphasized Mrs. Kitten. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" smirked Mister Banana slug cunningly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Mudslide?"

"I can't stay," prattled Mrs. Kitten. I just want to ask you what you think of the burro that's come to the field.

"I really don't know," worried Mister Banana slug. "I didn't know about any burro. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," harangued Mrs. Kitten sheepishly. "I heard that this burro likes to strip diagrams."

"Um, I don't know what to say," mused Mister Banana slug, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Kitten, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the field when we get a lot of burros stripping diagrams?"

"I can't imagine," raved Mister Banana slug.

"What are we going to do about it?" guessed Mrs. Kitten.

"Appoint a committee?" lamented Mister Banana slug, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Kitten had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," rebutted Mister Banana slug dreamily, 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. Kitten vacantly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," blurted Mister Banana slug grudgingly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the footstool on his front porch, looking out over the field and getting sleepy. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Kitten. Do come again."

"Just a minute," fantasized Mrs. Kitten boisterously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Banana slug sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied sadly.