Mister Lovebird And The New Neighbor

Mister Lovebird lived on a moonscape in a sand castle made of roots. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover potatoes and gravy, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

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

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" chanted Mister Lovebird noisily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a 7-Up?"

"I can't stay," cried Mrs. Giraffe. I just want to ask you what you think of the leopard that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," asserted Mister Lovebird. "I didn't know about any leopard. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," joked Mrs. Giraffe later. "I heard that this leopard likes to fabricate pieces of chalk."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Giraffe, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the moonscape when we get a lot of leopards fabricating pieces of chalk?"

"I can't imagine," purred Mister Lovebird.

"What are we going to do about it?" called Mrs. Giraffe.

"Appoint a committee?" blathered Mister Lovebird, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Giraffe had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," tittered Mister Lovebird perkily, 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. Giraffe recklessly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," wondered Mister Lovebird sorrowfully, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the toilet on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and scratching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Giraffe. Do come again."

"Just a minute," piped up Mrs. Giraffe surreptitiously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Lovebird sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied fiercely.