Mister Fish And The New Neighbor

Mister Fish lived in a desert in a hut made of satin. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover squash blossom soup, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" wondered Mister Fish caustically, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a V8?"

"I can't stay," asked Mrs. Hyena. I just want to ask you what you think of the panda that's come to the desert.

"I really don't know," croaked Mister Fish. "I didn't know about any panda. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," judged Mrs. Hyena bravely. "I heard that this panda likes to bleach china dolls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Hyena, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the desert when we get a lot of pandas bleaching china dolls?"

"I can't imagine," uttered Mister Fish.

"What are we going to do about it?" gabbed Mrs. Hyena.

"Appoint a committee?" begged Mister Fish, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Hyena had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," muttered Mister Fish slyly, 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. Hyena immediately. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," appealed Mister Fish primly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the umbrella stand on his front porch, looking out over the desert and drooling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Hyena. Do come again."

"Just a minute," conversed Mrs. Hyena charmingly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Fish sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied haughtily.