Mister Siamese Cat And The New Neighbor

Mister Siamese cat lived on a moonscape in a log cabin made of paper. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover blueberry pie, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yawned Mister Siamese cat frenetically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of cocoa?"

"I can't stay," swore Mister Dragon. I just want to ask you what you think of the dormouse that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," asserted Mister Siamese cat. "I didn't know about any dormouse. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," hissed Mister Dragon pityingly. "I heard that this dormouse likes to split pillows."

"Um, I don't know what to say," offered Mister Siamese cat, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Dragon, 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 dormice splitting pillows?"

"I can't imagine," answered Mister Siamese cat.

"What are we going to do about it?" grieved Mister Dragon.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," rationalized Mister Siamese cat tenderly, 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 Dragon crazily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," blubbered Mister Siamese cat daintily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the settee on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and howling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Dragon. Do come again."

"Just a minute," croaked Mister Dragon narrowly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Siamese cat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied again.