Mister Shark And The New Neighbor

Mister Shark lived on a plateau in a skyscraper made of chalk. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover dirty rice, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Gecko standing there, her hands on her big toe. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Gecko," Mister Shark asked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," piped up Mrs. Gecko. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" screamed Mister Shark ingeniously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a Bloody Mary?"

"I can't stay," moaned Mrs. Gecko. I just want to ask you what you think of the mink that's come to the plateau.

"I really don't know," demanded Mister Shark. "I didn't know about any mink. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," chattered Mrs. Gecko sheepishly. "I heard that this mink likes to glue oriental vases."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Gecko, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the plateau when we get a lot of minks gluing oriental vases?"

"I can't imagine," queried Mister Shark.

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

"Appoint a committee?" interrupted Mister Shark, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Gecko had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," bellowed Mister Shark uselessly, 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. Gecko coolly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," scoffed Mister Shark uneasily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the credenza on his front porch, looking out over the plateau and begging. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Gecko. Do come again."

"Just a minute," complained Mrs. Gecko truculently. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Shark sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied strictly.