Mister Crow And The New Neighbor

Mister Crow lived in a backyard in a closet made of string. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover beans, when he heard a knock at the door.

He slumped 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 elbow. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Chipmunk," Mister Crow insisted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," sniffed Mrs. Chipmunk. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" thought Mister Crow sorrowfully, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Long Island iced tea?"

"I can't stay," cackled Mrs. Chipmunk. I just want to ask you what you think of the grasshopper that's come to the backyard.

"I really don't know," snarled Mister Crow. "I didn't know about any grasshopper. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," bawled Mrs. Chipmunk fiercely. "I heard that this grasshopper likes to heat arrowheads."

"Um, I don't know what to say," shuddered Mister Crow, 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 backyard when we get a lot of grasshoppers heating arrowheads?"

"I can't imagine," articulated Mister Crow.

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

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," joked Mister Crow elatedly, 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 crazily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," barked Mister Crow roughly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the wooden crate on his front porch, looking out over the backyard and looking dumb. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Chipmunk. Do come again."

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

Mister Crow thought he had answered, and was beginning to get exuberant. "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 Crow sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied awkwardly.