Mister Panther And The New Neighbor

Mister Panther lived in a treetop in a treehouse made of paper. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover crab rangoon, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Dolphin standing there, her hands on her chin. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Dolphin," Mister Panther hollered, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," worried Mrs. Dolphin. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" bellowed Mister Panther anxiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of grape juice?"

"I can't stay," rambled Mrs. Dolphin. I just want to ask you what you think of the dingo that's come to the treetop.

"I really don't know," simpered Mister Panther. "I didn't know about any dingo. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," spoke up Mrs. Dolphin defiantly. "I heard that this dingo likes to feel pom-poms."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Dolphin, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the treetop when we get a lot of dingoes feeling pom-poms?"

"I can't imagine," proposed Mister Panther.

"What are we going to do about it?" analyzed Mrs. Dolphin.

"Appoint a committee?" jeered Mister Panther, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Dolphin had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," chortled Mister Panther angrily, 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. Dolphin dolorously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," stuttered Mister Panther crankily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the cupboard on his front porch, looking out over the treetop and calculating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Dolphin. Do come again."

"Just a minute," warbled Mrs. Dolphin narrowly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Panther sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied firmly.