Mister Yak And The New Neighbor

Mister Yak lived at an oasis in a cottage made of logs. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover pie a la mode, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" sniffed Mister Yak deliberately, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of grape juice?"

"I can't stay," pleaded Mrs. Worm. I just want to ask you what you think of the buzzard that's come to the oasis.

"I really don't know," divulged Mister Yak. "I didn't know about any buzzard. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," reacted Mrs. Worm valiantly. "I heard that this buzzard likes to pick bowls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Worm, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the oasis when we get a lot of buzzards picking bowls?"

"I can't imagine," responded Mister Yak.

"What are we going to do about it?" gasped Mrs. Worm.

"Appoint a committee?" imitated Mister Yak, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Worm had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," reasoned Mister Yak positively, 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. Worm glibly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," indicated Mister Yak oddly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the canopy bed on his front porch, looking out over the oasis and nodding off. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Worm. Do come again."

"Just a minute," concluded Mrs. Worm sleepily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Yak sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied caustically.