Mister Beagle And The New Neighbor

Mister Beagle lived on a prairie in a flat made of flour paste. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover steak, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Gecko standing there, his hands on his thorax. "How nice to see you, Mister Gecko," Mister Beagle fantasized, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," hinted Mister Gecko. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" contended Mister Beagle repeatedly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Tom and Jerry?"

"I can't stay," swore Mister Gecko. I just want to ask you what you think of the airedale that's come to the prairie.

"I really don't know," sighed Mister Beagle. "I didn't know about any airedale. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," sighed Mister Gecko offhandedly. "I heard that this airedale likes to wipe clams."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Gecko, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the prairie when we get a lot of airedales wiping clams?"

"I can't imagine," contended Mister Beagle.

"What are we going to do about it?" warbled Mister Gecko.

"Appoint a committee?" revealed Mister Beagle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Gecko had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Gecko nimbly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," sneered Mister Beagle innocently, 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 Mister Gecko crazily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," guessed Mister Beagle swiftly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the end table on his front porch, looking out over the prairie and pacing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Gecko. Do come again."

"Just a minute," announced Mister Gecko intensely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Beagle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied truculently.