Mister Worm And The New Neighbor

Mister Worm lived at an oasis in a tent made of palm leaves. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover dirty rice, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Yak standing there, his hands on his aorta. "How nice to see you, Mister Yak," Mister Worm roared, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," hinted Mister Yak. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" hollered Mister Worm grudgingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of carrot juice?"

"I can't stay," screamed Mister Yak. I just want to ask you what you think of the warthog that's come to the oasis.

"I really don't know," repeated Mister Worm. "I didn't know about any warthog. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sighed Mister Yak cleverly. "I heard that this warthog likes to extinguish chess sets."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Yak, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the oasis when we get a lot of warthogs extinguishing chess sets?"

"I can't imagine," screamed Mister Worm.

"What are we going to do about it?" yawned Mister Yak.

"Appoint a committee?" scoffed Mister Worm, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Yak had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," bragged Mister Worm openly, 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 Yak crankily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," decided Mister Worm fervently, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the stairway on his front porch, looking out over the oasis and hiding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Yak. Do come again."

"Just a minute," responded Mister Yak charmingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Worm sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied stealthily.