Mister Penguin And The New Neighbor

Mister Penguin lived on a range in a log cabin made of buffalo hides. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cornbread, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mrs. Peacock standing there, her hands on her dignity. "How nice to see you, Mrs. Peacock," Mister Penguin fumed, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," squawked Mrs. Peacock. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" yowled Mister Penguin victoriously, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a gin sour?"

"I can't stay," clarified Mrs. Peacock. I just want to ask you what you think of the bumblebee that's come to the range.

"I really don't know," sputtered Mister Penguin. "I didn't know about any bumblebee. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," cried Mrs. Peacock glibly. "I heard that this bumblebee likes to interpret Barbie dolls."

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

"Well I do," said Mrs. Peacock, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the range when we get a lot of bumblebees interpreting Barbie dolls?"

"I can't imagine," comforted Mister Penguin.

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

"Appoint a committee?" spoke up Mister Penguin, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mrs. Peacock had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," bragged Mister Penguin strictly, 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. Peacock temperamentally. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," decided Mister Penguin irritably, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the china hutch on his front porch, looking out over the range and cogitating. "It's been nice talking to you, Mrs. Peacock. Do come again."

"Just a minute," opined Mrs. Peacock cleverly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Penguin sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied charmingly.