Mister Horse And The New Neighbor

Mister Horse lived in a meadow in a brownstone made of antimatter. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lime sherbet, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Basset hound standing there, her hands on her calf. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Basset hound," Mister Horse tittered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," rambled Mrs. Basset hound. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" voiced Mister Horse flightily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a grape soda?"

"I can't stay," sniped Mrs. Basset hound. I just want to ask you what you think of the elephant that's come to the meadow.

"I really don't know," mentioned Mister Horse. "I didn't know about any elephant. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," stormed Mrs. Basset hound resignedly. "I heard that this elephant likes to see paper bags."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Basset hound, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the meadow when we get a lot of elephants seeing paper bags?"

"I can't imagine," laughed Mister Horse.

"What are we going to do about it?" suggested Mrs. Basset hound.

"Appoint a committee?" blustered Mister Horse, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Basset hound had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mrs. Basset hound fervently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," tittered Mister Horse fervently, 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. Basset hound mysteriously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," agreed Mister Horse perkily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the desk on his front porch, looking out over the meadow and blinking. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Basset hound. Do come again."

"Just a minute," commented Mrs. Basset hound warily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Horse thought he had answered, and was beginning to get pigeon-toed. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mister Basset hound doing these days?"

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

Mister Horse sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied woefully.