Mister Horsie And The New Neighbor

Mister Horsie lived at a crime scene in a wikiup made of wax. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover roast Cornish game hen, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" disputed Mister Horsie jokingly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of papaya juice?"

"I can't stay," wailed Mrs. Yak. I just want to ask you what you think of the Doberman that's come to the crime scene.

"I really don't know," responded Mister Horsie. "I didn't know about any Doberman. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," imitated Mrs. Yak unnaturally. "I heard that this Doberman likes to blacken bags of ice."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Yak, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the crime scene when we get a lot of Dobermans blackening bags of ice?"

"I can't imagine," amended Mister Horsie.

"What are we going to do about it?" added Mrs. Yak.

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

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

"Well that's a fine idea," sniffed Mister Horsie dubiously, 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. Yak dolorously. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," rationalized Mister Horsie sheepishly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the bath mat on his front porch, looking out over the crime scene and dancing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Yak. Do come again."

"Just a minute," swore Mrs. Yak queerly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Horsie sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied grimly.