Mister Cobra And The New Neighbor

Mister Cobra lived at a seashore in a subway tunnel made of reeds. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover ice cream, 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 Mrs. Siamese cat standing there, her hands on her esophagus. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Siamese cat," Mister Cobra agreed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," snarled Mrs. Siamese cat. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" nattered Mister Cobra pitifully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of bouillon?"

"I can't stay," announced Mrs. Siamese cat. I just want to ask you what you think of the shark that's come to the seashore.

"I really don't know," agreed Mister Cobra. "I didn't know about any shark. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," uttered Mrs. Siamese cat intensely. "I heard that this shark likes to mark Lego sets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Siamese cat, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the seashore when we get a lot of sharks marking Lego sets?"

"I can't imagine," pleaded Mister Cobra.

"What are we going to do about it?" worried Mrs. Siamese cat.

"Appoint a committee?" yowled Mister Cobra, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Siamese cat had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," opined Mister Cobra stealthily, 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. Siamese cat ruefully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," swore Mister Cobra steadily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the wardrobe on his front porch, looking out over the seashore and huffing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Siamese cat. Do come again."

"Just a minute," reacted Mrs. Siamese cat impatiently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Cobra sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied coldly.