Mister Lark And The New Neighbor

Mister Lark lived in a circus tent in a Spanish colonial made of burlap. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover macaroni, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Lark standing there, her hands on her eyebrow. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Lark," Mister Lark reacted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," interrupted Mrs. Lark. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" growled Mister Lark tenderly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a martini?"

"I can't stay," prattled Mrs. Lark. I just want to ask you what you think of the beetle that's come to the circus tent.

"I really don't know," bellowed Mister Lark. "I didn't know about any beetle. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," groveled Mrs. Lark immediately. "I heard that this beetle likes to banish clocks."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Lark, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the circus tent when we get a lot of beetles banishing clocks?"

"I can't imagine," mouthed Mister Lark.

"What are we going to do about it?" hummed Mrs. Lark.

"Appoint a committee?" mentioned Mister Lark, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Lark had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," sniveled Mister Lark repeatedly, 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. Lark uneasily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," demanded Mister Lark crankily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the futon on his front porch, looking out over the circus tent and puckering. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Lark. Do come again."

"Just a minute," brought up Mrs. Lark cunningly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Lark sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied bravely.