Mister Brine Shrimp And The New Neighbor

Mister Brine shrimp lived on a moonscape in a hovel made of nylon. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover jambalaya, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Snake standing there, her hands on her eyelash. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Snake," Mister Brine shrimp yawned, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," smiled Mrs. Snake. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" instructed Mister Brine shrimp uneasily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a hot chocolate?"

"I can't stay," swore Mrs. Snake. I just want to ask you what you think of the owl that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," yowled Mister Brine shrimp. "I didn't know about any owl. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," maintained Mrs. Snake reluctantly. "I heard that this owl likes to crush umbrellas."

"Um, I don't know what to say," reminded Mister Brine shrimp, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mrs. Snake, 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 owls crushing umbrellas?"

"I can't imagine," croaked Mister Brine shrimp.

"What are we going to do about it?" spewed Mrs. Snake.

"Appoint a committee?" breathed Mister Brine shrimp, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Snake had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," peeped Mister Brine shrimp grandly, 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. Snake later. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," observed Mister Brine shrimp furiously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the display case on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and drooling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Snake. Do come again."

"Just a minute," proposed Mrs. Snake viciously. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Brine shrimp sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied crossly.