Mister Otter And The New Neighbor

Mister Otter lived on a mesa in a palace made of styrofoam. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover brownies, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Duck-billed platypus standing there, her hands on her thyroid gland. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Duck-billed platypus," Mister Otter yammered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," judged Mrs. Duck-billed platypus. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" conversed Mister Otter elatedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an Irish Coffee?"

"I can't stay," shuddered Mrs. Duck-billed platypus. I just want to ask you what you think of the louse that's come to the mesa.

"I really don't know," screeched Mister Otter. "I didn't know about any louse. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," fantasized Mrs. Duck-billed platypus brashly. "I heard that this louse likes to pick bugles."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Duck-billed platypus, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mesa when we get a lot of lice picking bugles?"

"I can't imagine," comforted Mister Otter.

"What are we going to do about it?" answered Mrs. Duck-billed platypus.

"Appoint a committee?" interrupted Mister Otter, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Duck-billed platypus had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Duck-billed platypus cheerfully. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," noted Mister Otter sagely, 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. Duck-billed platypus sourly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," squealed Mister Otter slowly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the canopy bed on his front porch, looking out over the mesa and typing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Duck-billed platypus. Do come again."

"Just a minute," intimated Mrs. Duck-billed platypus charmingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Otter thought he had answered, and was beginning to get confident. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mister Duck-billed platypus doing these days?"

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

Mister Otter sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied bravely.