Chapter 4
Lessons
Trixie walked through Sweet Apple Acres, not admiring what was before her. “All these apples,” Trixie said in disgust, “this place is so gaudy. I mean seriously, who has a barn these days?” Big Mac’s expression seemed unbothered but inside, he felt offended and hurt about Trixie’s words. He decided to correct her behavior in a nice fashion. “Now Trixie,” Big Mac said with an apologetic voice, “Ah know Sweet Apple Acres might not me your place buy yah gotta appreciate what’s here. You ain’t see nature like this anywhere else. Besides we’re here to make friends, not observe mah space.”
Trixie decided to accept the fact that she was doing something wrong and passed the subject. She wasn’t happy at the way he spoke to her though. “Well then,” Trixie grumbled, “looks like someone here needs a lesson on good manners.” “That’d be you,” Big Mac replied, “Ah heard that you were rude but not tah this point. Yah gotta learn how to respect others and their things if yah wanna be their friends. Yah gotta learn how tah give in and accept their opinions, even if yah gotta lie about whatyou’re sayin’.” Big Mac kept his fixed expression and decided to start the lesson.
“See that pony over yonder?” Big Mac pointed to a mailmare, “What do yah think of her eyes? They pretty or is they full of uncouth? Think about your answer in a way that you would be directly speakin’ to her.” Trixie had to think for a moment to think of all the things. “Well,” Trixie began, “My dear your eyes need some fixing up, you can’t fly around with those hideous ogles. You look like you were dropped on your head as a filly!” Trixie gave a laugh and ended it with good posture.
Big Mac facehoofed. “Now Trixie,” Big Mac said in a disappointed tone, “If you want to make friends, you have tah be nice.” “But you said they would accept my opinion if they wanted to be friend!” Trixie whined. “That there was no opinion,” Big Mac boomed, “That there that you just said was downright an offense! You gotta say somethin’ like “your eyes be unique” or “Ah like the shade of your eyes” not just go ahead and send out every bad thang. Look at them good points, ain’t that color pretty?”
Trixie squinted and still couldn’t see anything that was nice about her face. All she saw was an abomination of a pony; bad posture, eyes that couldn’t even focus on one direction, a ruffled, yellow mane, and a disgusting gray coat. “Big Macintosh,” Trixie complained, “How can you see anything good about her? She’s a disgrace, an eyesore, an atrocity to all of pony-kind! Her looks are equal to an Ursa Major!”
“Apples and celery Trixie,” Big Mac’s temper was starting to rise, “Yah have got to learn how to be respectful! Yah caint walk up to somepony and call them an atrocity! Ah’m tryin’ hard here to change you but you ain’t workin’ with me! Looks like we gotta take some baby steps here ‘cause obviously, you don’t get what respect is!” Trixie was shocked by this outburst. Usually in this situation, she would back talk him but somehow, his persona had created a barrier from all that and weakened her. Instead she backed down and accepted her punishment.
“Alright,” Trixie mumbled, “I’ll take your lessons, I’ll learn what respect is, I’ll make some friends.” Big Macintosh was surprised by Trixie’s sudden white flag but he simply didn’t ask just in case that he would say something that would change her mind. “Now Trixie,” Big Mac had ideas of what respect was swirling around his head, “Can you now think of any nice things about the mailmare that yah had recently… offended.”
After this experience, Trixie suddenly saw things in a new light. She replayed all the reels of tape from when she had seen that pony. “Your cutie mark is adorable,” Trixie began to say all the nice things without even keeping track of what she could say, “your eyes have a nice golden shade, they match your personality. A pony filled with ideas unable to stay in one spot.” Trixie put her hooves around her mouth. What did she just say?
Big Macintosh was surprised at such a change throughout a few minutes. He even changed his monotone expression. “Well then,” Big Mac was proud of her either way, “looks like you’ve learned a lot already. Now all we gotta do is keep that tone and language.”