Mister Pony And The New Neighbor

Mister Pony lived in a gulch in a mobile home made of satin. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover hamburgers, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Siamese cat standing there, his hands on his calf. "How nice to see you, Mister Siamese cat," Mister Pony decided, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," called Mister Siamese cat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" laughed Mister Pony humbly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cosmopolitan?"

"I can't stay," howled Mister Siamese cat. I just want to ask you what you think of the finch that's come to the gulch.

"I really don't know," announced Mister Pony. "I didn't know about any finch. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," trumpeted Mister Siamese cat despondently. "I heard that this finch likes to whirl cotton balls."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Siamese cat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the gulch when we get a lot of finches whirling cotton balls?"

"I can't imagine," spat Mister Pony.

"What are we going to do about it?" joked Mister Siamese cat.

"Appoint a committee?" murmured Mister Pony, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Siamese cat had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Siamese cat kindly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," interrupted Mister Pony silently, 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 Siamese cat merrily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," hinted Mister Pony strictly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bathtub on his front porch, looking out over the gulch and getting rigid. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Siamese cat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," requested Mister Siamese cat busily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Pony sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied haughtily.