Mister Goat And The New Neighbor

Mister Goat lived alongside a stream in a mansion made of papier-mâché. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover candy, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Honeybee standing there, his hands on his pituitary gland. "How nice to see you, Mister Honeybee," Mister Goat peeped, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," persisted Mister Honeybee. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" mentioned Mister Goat daringly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a soda?"

"I can't stay," stuttered Mister Honeybee. I just want to ask you what you think of the grasshopper that's come to the stream.

"I really don't know," fretted Mister Goat. "I didn't know about any grasshopper. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," instructed Mister Honeybee sympathetically. "I heard that this grasshopper likes to praise bats."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Honeybee, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the stream when we get a lot of grasshoppers praising bats?"

"I can't imagine," warbled Mister Goat.

"What are we going to do about it?" bragged Mister Honeybee.

"Appoint a committee?" conversed Mister Goat, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Honeybee had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," lamented Mister Goat noisily, 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 Honeybee repeatedly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," trumpeted Mister Goat kindly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the mattress on his front porch, looking out over the stream and nodding. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Honeybee. Do come again."

"Just a minute," smirked Mister Honeybee strangely. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Goat sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied wryly.