The next day I awoke with renewed purpose. The postmaster's words still rang true in my ears that support was key to carrying the burden of hardship. Ditzy's situation was much like mine. I'd be a fool not to see that at this point. Nopony was there to comfort me when my wife and son left. I'm sure not going to witness that happen to another without at least trying to do something. It is bad enough to have bad life experiences happen to yourself, but it is an entirely new experience to observe a similar event happening to somepony else.
I was going to take today easy at work and play the whole day by ear. If all seemed to work out fine on its own, I would not be needed. However, if I felt like my support was needed, I would most certainly be there. Ditzy never wronged, hurt, or insulted me. Her clumsy nature was not an issue in my eyes. We all have faults or particular traits that make us look bad. To not accept somepony based on little things like appearance or personality is wrong on many levels. There is enough space in the lands of Equestria to avoid those we don't agree with whether it be idealistic pursuits, way of thinking, or daily activities. If somepony is not a harm to society or themselves, I see no reason to be aggressive towards them. I saw nothing wrong with Ditzy. In fact, her awkward smile makes me cringe and happy at the same time. Nopony deserves to be thrown into the gutter without a helping hoof extended to provide relief.
If her day went sour, I had a neat backup plan. It was something that was sure to cheer her up. All I needed was one simple item bought from the local store. It was a rather commonplace product that wasn't too hard to find. The product also took into account her personality as a whole which made me even more proud to have it in my possession. Ah, I remember when my son had one of these. We used to spend hours on end playing with it. My little colt and I used to smile so much on those days having fun in each other's company.
Realizing that I needed to get to work, I put the product into my side pack. I ran to the front door catching sight of something that stopped me dead in my tracks - my family’s photo. That photo was a constant reminder of a time never to return. The smiling faces reassured me that I’d be alone. Then again, I’m not truly alone am I? For it is in destitute solitary despair that the lonely ironically find one another. I knew at once that taking the photo with me would be just what the doctor ordered. I decided to grab the photo of my family so that Ditzy would know she is not alone.
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Excitement filled me up by the time I reached the post office. This was the first time in years I had a purposeful mindset set on a goal and not many hours of work. I could let the distraction of work slide until the day was over now that a personal goal was on my mind. The good feelings continued throughout the day. They were exhibited in my social interaction with the town's citizens. Even that shopkeeper of the clothing boutique asked me why I was so chipper. But I held a hoof to my mouth to keep it a secret. It felt like one of those times when an amazing prank was about to be pulled. Everyone in on the gag would feel nothing but suspense until the surprise came about.
Admittedly, this town had an effect on my behavior and personality. When I came to this place, I felt down and out. The positive attitude of the ponies of whom I deliver mail to provided a stress-free environment with which to relieve a weary mind. This collective social community interaction only validated the postmaster's words that being here would be different than the city. Either that or I'm just imagining things due to the excitement over my simple backup plan.
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Having collected the day's outgoing mail, I returned back to the post office. When I turned the corner onto its street, I noticed a group of ponies standing outside the front of the building. I felt nervous and stopped walking towards them to witness the event from afar. The scene was all too familiar to a past memory long ago in the city I left. The eerie scene resembled much of what happened to me.
Ditzy and Dinky were immediately recognized with Ditzy doing most of the talking to two ponies standing opposite them. These two ponies stood quite close next to each other, one a brown-coated unicorn stallion and a creme-colored unicorn mare. Both ponies said nothing as Ditzy continued talking with them while Dinky had her head bent down to the ground.
Ditzy didn't seem mad but had that bright smile on her face. However, her right foreleg kept rubbing her left as though she was nervous. Thinking about it I noticed that the creme-colored unicorn mare had a clean and well-groomed coat looking quite beautiful. Then, I realized that this might be something making Ditzy nervous. I had felt the same thing in seeing the stallion who stood by my wife. His countenance and muscular build were intimidating in comparing mine. I could never hope to compete with the sleek look of his coat. His long flowing mane rested perfectly to the side of his neck. The smile he had shown me exhibited pure kindness matched only in the pristine whiteness of those finely-rowed teeth. I should had been happy for my wife knowing that separation was inevitable, but something felt off about seeing that stallion. The meeting made me slightly defensive.
I was not comfortable in knowing with which perfect stud I was to be replaced.
Worse yet, I remember that same look on my son's face with his head also bent down to the ground. He was my son only to be given away to a complete stranger meant to replace my role in the family. The real problem in that situation is that nothing can be said. Any spoken words will only cut deeper when all is said and done. The more I saw Ditzy talking, I knew she was trying her best to find a way out of the divorce. With a smile on her face meant to cover the oncoming sadness she couldn't get a response out of her husband. He was dead set on having the divorce finalized. No amount of words would change that feeling.
Instead, he kneeled down to talk with his daughter. She was the reason he had come back, after all. In the many years following this event, this little filly would be fought over in a tug of war match between both parents like some prized animal. The daughter would never know what it is like to have both parents living together. Nay, now she'd only be experiencing life with one or the other. From the distance where I stood, I could clearly see the little filly dropping a few tears as her father tried his best to explain the situation. It is one of those talks that will most surely haunt her the rest of her life. It is a talk that no colt or filly would ever want to hear in their worst nightmares.
Ditzy's husband tried the next best thing as he didn't want to see his little filly sad. He introduced the filly to her new step mother who smiled warmly. Dinky wasn't paying attention because this is obviously not what she wanted. However, parents make choices that little colts and fillies can only accept. Some try to run away as a means of defiance but soon find that the act has little impact other than to cause both parents worry. In the end, the parents will still separate. Like I said before, any spoken words will only make the inevitable that much worse. Some actions can be perceived as voicing one's own opinion. The act of running away is like a yearling screaming 'No!' wanting to get their way only be silenced with 'Yes' carved into stone. Returning home, a runaway yearling will still find they now live in a broken home. The creme-colored unicorn mare kneeled down next to her new husband trying to let the little filly know she was going to be a good mother.
Dinky tried to hide behind her mother only to be forced into a greeting by Ditzy. It is the hardest thing in the world for a parent to give up their child. I spent the better half of my life providing shelter for my son. On the day my wife presented her new husband, my act of handing my little colt over to this stranger felt like a knife slicing cleanly through the heart. Dinky had no other option than to enter her father's embrace with some words mentioned by the new mom.
Having gotten what they came for, the two ponies made quick talk with intentions of making an immediate leave. Ditzy began talking again so as to drag out the one-way exchange in a futile attempt to avoid the oncoming heartache. I tried the same tactic when talking to my wife and her new husband. Talking endlessly I tried to keep my son within view to know he'd still be with me. I knew by the day's end, he would be out of my reach. That evening I would have supper alone. That night I'd have nothing to tuck into bed. I knew it was coming but couldn't let it happen.
Still, I ran out of words to say as they got caught in my throat as what happens when one who is emotionally upset tries to speak. This is the moment when my wife said she would talk to me later and I was forced to witness the worst part of the one-way exchange - watching my son leave. Looking behind as he followed his mother, sadness was written all over his face. He knew that he would not be seeing his father for a while. I didn't want my son's last memory of his father to be a sad one so I faked the hardest smile of my life until he was out of sight.
I knew the right moment came when Ditzy struggled to form words on her lips. Ditzy's husband spoke at this precise moment saying a few short words, turning around, and heading off with his new wife and little filly. Dinky followed behind her father looking back to see a smile cross her mother's lips. Ditzy even went so far as to wave one hoof as a send off gesture. The three ponies, on the opposite side of the street I was on, continued on with Dinky returning her gaze forward. As soon as the three were out of sight, Ditzy burst out crying and fell to the ground.
I stood still at my spot not flinching or moving a muscle. It was surreal to witness what happened to me from a different point of view. I had left the city to forget what the separation from my wife and son felt like but I had to relive it again. The excitement of my backup plan from this morning was long gone. I wasn't sure if it was going to work. I took a moment to close my eyes and breathe in the afternoon air.
Distraction and Confidence. That's the only thing that is going to work, I thought reassuring myself that the backup plan would work. Providing a distraction will draw the mind away from its emotional state. Once things calm down, a clearer mind will be able to handle the situation. Building confidence will help make this transition in life much easier. Dinky still needs the support of both her parents. A nervous breakdown would only shatter the little filly's attempts at continued happiness in needing to know her parents still love and support her.
Having calmed myself down from reliving that torturous moment, I walked towards Ditzy hoping what I had to offer would provide some consolation. It wasn't much but maybe it would be enough. She was a strong mare and would most likely be able to deal with these change of events much better than I could. Ditzy was still crying on the ground as I approached. She didn't look up or seem to hear my walking towards her.
I sat down next to her taking a single photo out of my side bag. It was something I had decided to carry along today for I wanted to let Ditzy know she wasn't alone. It took a few minutes but she stopped crying long enough to see that I was presenting her something. She looked at it with sorrowful eyes glancing at each smiling face. Unsure on what to say, she looked up at me for clues on why I was showing her this picture. Finally, a few words came out of her mouth.
"I-Is this your family, mister?"
"Used to be my family, Ditzy. To be honest, I just don't know what went wrong, either."