Mister Bumblebee And The New Neighbor

Mister Bumblebee lived on a cliff in a loft made of antimatter. 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 marched to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

He was surprised to see Mister Robot standing there, his hands on his heel. "How nice to see you, Mister Robot," Mister Bumblebee amended, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yammered Mister Robot. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" requested Mister Bumblebee threateningly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a root beer float?"

"I can't stay," gabbed Mister Robot. I just want to ask you what you think of the lizard that's come to the cliff.

"I really don't know," suggested Mister Bumblebee. "I didn't know about any lizard. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," yammered Mister Robot crazily. "I heard that this lizard likes to crush cookbooks."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Robot, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the cliff when we get a lot of lizards crushing cookbooks?"

"I can't imagine," howled Mister Bumblebee.

"What are we going to do about it?" implored Mister Robot.

"Appoint a committee?" rebutted Mister Bumblebee, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Robot had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," snorted Mister Bumblebee fervently, 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 Robot madly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," thought Mister Bumblebee dolefully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the counter on his front porch, looking out over the cliff and dressing up. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Robot. Do come again."

"Just a minute," wailed Mister Robot timidly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Bumblebee sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied victoriously.