Mister Raccoon And The New Neighbor

Mister Raccoon lived on a moonscape in a trailer made of ivory. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover spaghetti, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Baboon standing there, her hands on her knee. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Baboon," Mister Raccoon invited, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," murmured Mrs. Baboon. "May I come in?"

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

"I can't stay," clarified Mrs. Baboon. I just want to ask you what you think of the snake that's come to the moonscape.

"I really don't know," blustered Mister Raccoon. "I didn't know about any snake. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," trumpeted Mrs. Baboon dreamily. "I heard that this snake likes to bite bags of ice."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Baboon, 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 snakes biting bags of ice?"

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

"What are we going to do about it?" fantasized Mrs. Baboon.

"Appoint a committee?" shuddered Mister Raccoon, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Baboon had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," announced Mister Raccoon slyly, 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. Baboon trustingly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," noted Mister Raccoon elatedly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the safe on his front porch, looking out over the moonscape and rejoicing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Baboon. Do come again."

"Just a minute," remarked Mrs. Baboon accidentally. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Raccoon sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied boldly.