Mister Bullfrog And The New Neighbor

Mister Bullfrog lived in a bog in a cave made of cornhusks. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lobster bisque, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Ladybug standing there, her hands on her scalp. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Ladybug," Mister Bullfrog chuckled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," intoned Mrs. Ladybug. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" proposed Mister Bullfrog cautiously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you an old fashioned?"

"I can't stay," comforted Mrs. Ladybug. I just want to ask you what you think of the cougar that's come to the bog.

"I really don't know," simpered Mister Bullfrog. "I didn't know about any cougar. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," admitted Mrs. Ladybug sweetly. "I heard that this cougar likes to blame pairs of scissors."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Ladybug, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the bog when we get a lot of cougars blaming pairs of scissors?"

"I can't imagine," rambled Mister Bullfrog.

"What are we going to do about it?" revealed Mrs. Ladybug.

"Appoint a committee?" barked Mister Bullfrog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Ladybug had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," brought up Mister Bullfrog testily, 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. Ladybug sympathetically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," intimated Mister Bullfrog jokingly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the water bed on his front porch, looking out over the bog and seething. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Ladybug. Do come again."

"Just a minute," stormed Mrs. Ladybug automatically. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Bullfrog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied proudly.