Mister Pekingese And The New Neighbor

Mister Pekingese lived on a mountaintop in a geodesic dome made of bamboo. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cherries jubilee, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Meerkat standing there, her hands on her little finger. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Meerkat," Mister Pekingese appealed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," commented Mrs. Meerkat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" informed Mister Pekingese fearlessly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a chamomile tea?"

"I can't stay," raved Mrs. Meerkat. I just want to ask you what you think of the sloth that's come to the mountaintop.

"I really don't know," mouthed Mister Pekingese. "I didn't know about any sloth. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," tittered Mrs. Meerkat menacingly. "I heard that this sloth likes to bless pairs of fuzzy dice."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Meerkat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountaintop when we get a lot of sloths blessing pairs of fuzzy dice?"

"I can't imagine," remarked Mister Pekingese.

"What are we going to do about it?" taunted Mrs. Meerkat.

"Appoint a committee?" grunted Mister Pekingese, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Meerkat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," answered Mister Pekingese anxiously, 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. Meerkat peevishly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," concluded Mister Pekingese oddly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bookshelf on his front porch, looking out over the mountaintop and yawning. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Meerkat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," explained Mrs. Meerkat oddly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Pekingese sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied fervently.