Mister Crab And The New Neighbor

Mister Crab lived in a briar patch in a homeless shelter made of wood. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover tortillas, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Koala standing there, her hands on her tummy. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Koala," Mister Crab spouted, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," belched Mrs. Koala. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" groaned Mister Crab fondly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"I can't stay," joked Mrs. Koala. I just want to ask you what you think of the bear that's come to the briar patch.

"I really don't know," lectured Mister Crab. "I didn't know about any bear. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," barked Mrs. Koala warmly. "I heard that this bear likes to fix etchings."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Koala, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the briar patch when we get a lot of bears fixing etchings?"

"I can't imagine," offered Mister Crab.

"What are we going to do about it?" screeched Mrs. Koala.

"Appoint a committee?" urged Mister Crab, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Koala had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," hollered Mister Crab queerly, 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. Koala wildly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," asked Mister Crab sagely, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the display case on his front porch, looking out over the briar patch and sniffing. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Koala. Do come again."

"Just a minute," whimpered Mrs. Koala wildly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Crab sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied despondently.