Mister Elk And The New Neighbor

Mister Elk lived on a butte in a hut made of marble. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover spaghetti, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Monkey standing there, her hands on her bicep. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Monkey," Mister Elk affirmed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," yowled Mrs. Monkey. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yawned Mister Elk victoriously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of buttermilk?"

"I can't stay," uttered Mrs. Monkey. I just want to ask you what you think of the deer that's come to the butte.

"I really don't know," inquired Mister Elk. "I didn't know about any deer. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," requested Mrs. Monkey demurely. "I heard that this deer likes to inspect clarinets."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Monkey, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the butte when we get a lot of deer inspecting clarinets?"

"I can't imagine," sighed Mister Elk.

"What are we going to do about it?" joked Mrs. Monkey.

"Appoint a committee?" murmured Mister Elk, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Monkey had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," protested Mister Elk 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. Monkey curiously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," shouted Mister Elk warily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the ping-pong table on his front porch, looking out over the butte and looking puzzled. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Monkey. Do come again."

"Just a minute," gasped Mrs. Monkey fiercely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Elk sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied primly.