Mister Ant And The New Neighbor

Mister Ant lived in a field in a hut made of muslin. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cookies, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Chipmunk standing there, her hands on her front tooth. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Chipmunk," Mister Ant uttered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," nattered Mrs. Chipmunk. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" rationalized Mister Ant gleefully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a double latte?"

"I can't stay," asserted Mrs. Chipmunk. I just want to ask you what you think of the crow that's come to the field.

"I really don't know," alleged Mister Ant. "I didn't know about any crow. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," lamented Mrs. Chipmunk sorrowfully. "I heard that this crow likes to slice candy bars."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Chipmunk, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the field when we get a lot of crows slicing candy bars?"

"I can't imagine," responded Mister Ant.

"What are we going to do about it?" quavered Mrs. Chipmunk.

"Appoint a committee?" acknowledged Mister Ant, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Chipmunk had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," said Mister Ant immediately, 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. Chipmunk needlessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," insisted Mister Ant doubtfully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the umbrella stand on his front porch, looking out over the field and jumping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Chipmunk. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blurted Mrs. Chipmunk sleepily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Ant sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied joyously.