Mister Koala And The New Neighbor

Mister Koala lived on a plain in a yurt made of Bakelite. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pie a la mode, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Chicken standing there, his hands on his collarbone. "How nice to see you, Mister Chicken," Mister Koala called, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," uttered Mister Chicken. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" rationalized Mister Koala irritably, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a tonic?"

"I can't stay," cackled Mister Chicken. I just want to ask you what you think of the Siamese cat that's come to the plain.

"I really don't know," urged Mister Koala. "I didn't know about any Siamese cat. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," mused Mister Chicken slowly. "I heard that this Siamese cat likes to wash rocks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Chicken, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plain when we get a lot of Siamese cats washing rocks?"

"I can't imagine," whined Mister Koala.

"What are we going to do about it?" giggled Mister Chicken.

"Appoint a committee?" sniffed Mister Koala, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Chicken had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Chicken temperamentally. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," questioned Mister Koala suspiciously, 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 Chicken jokingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," winked Mister Koala strangely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the TV on his front porch, looking out over the plain and clattering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Chicken. Do come again."

"Just a minute," lamented Mister Chicken cunningly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Koala sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied thankfully.