The Porcupine arrived at the club dining room. "I'm Mr. Porcupine," he said. "I'll be a guest of Mr. Bear this evening. I guess I'm a little early." The Maitre d' regarded him haughtily. "Please wait at the bar," he said. The Porcupine walked into the bar. A Deer and an Antelope jostled him. He overheard someone making a derogatory comment about Porcupines. A very obnoxious Rabbit blew smoke right into his face. The Porcupine could feel himself bristly, and it took real effort to get his quills to lie down. Just then the Bear arrived. "It's good to meet you," said the Bear, "I'm eager to hear about those salmon futures we discussed on the phone." "I don't know," said the Porcupine. "If you like this club, I don't think we'll enjoy doing business." He told the Bear what happened. The Bear stood up with a roar. "These rascals have tarnished my reputation with you!" he said. "I'm so sorry you were mistreated. Let's go somewhere else." So they did. Over dinner, the Porcupine realized the Bear was a decent fellow after all.
Moral: You are often judged by the company you keep.