Mister Pony And The New Neighbor

Mister Pony lived on a moonscape in a villa made of bubbles. 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 dove to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

He was surprised to see Mrs. Magpie standing there, her hands on her wrist. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Magpie," Mister Pony agreed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," smiled Mrs. Magpie. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" thought Mister Pony miserably, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Cuba libre?"

"I can't stay," sputtered Mrs. Magpie. I just want to ask you what you think of the worm that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," panted Mister Pony. "I didn't know about any worm. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," nattered Mrs. Magpie hysterically. "I heard that this worm likes to grapple coffee pots."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Magpie, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of worms grappling coffee pots?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" conversed Mrs. Magpie.

"Appoint a committee?" swore Mister Pony, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Magpie had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Magpie violently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," continued Mister Pony brashly, 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. Magpie rapidly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," added Mister Pony tearfully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the file cabinet on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and vomiting. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Magpie. Do come again."

"Just a minute," worried Mrs. Magpie needlessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

Mrs. Magpie 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 suavely.