The Narrative of Scarlet Tomato

by Uncle Knot

Chapter 3

Mopping the floor of the town hall is not my best vocation. Still I did the job with a little bit of flair. It was then that she walked in. Long gray legs with amber eyes, blond mane and a cute smile, she was heavenly, and then I noticed it. She had wings. I am not a racist, but being an earth pony, raised by earth ponies, who had little contact with any pony who wasn’t an earth pony, well, she was a shock to my ideal culture. My sense of all things right with the world was suddenly challenged.

“Hello” she said in a slightly husky voice

“Hello, I’m Tomato, Scarlet Tomato”

“My name is Ditsy Doo” she said “Are you new here?”

“Sort of” I said “Just got into town, hoping to start a farm”

“Really” she said with a smile “I’m a weather mail pony”

“Ah, what does that mean?” I said “Do you mean you deliver mail in any weather? Or do you mean you deliver the weather by mail?”

“Oh you’re funny” she said with a wink. Only now did I notice there is something off about her eyes. I wanted to stare into her eyes for all eternity, but they didn’t seem to want to cooperate with my wishes.

I stammered “I can’t seem to look you in the eyes”

“Oh, that” she said “I got this eye condition, it’s called …”

“Good morning Derpy” said the mayor ignoring me completely “Come into my office and take these letters” Then poking her head out the door again she said “you there, nice job with the floor. Now go outside and sweep the steps”

Outside the town was just starting to wake up. Sweeping the deck and the steps gave me a new perspective on this community. Ponies of all types would walk by, give a friendly smile, and continue on. I got the job done pretty quick, but I kept at it. I didn’t want to seem like some type of loafer, and my vantage point on the deck assisted. Besides, no pony, other than Ditsy, and certainly not the clerk had arrived at town hall. Until a shy little mare with glasses approached the building.

“Good morning” I said

She turned her head away from me and whispered “Good Morning”

As she passed I asked “you wouldn’t be the clerk, would you?”

She mumbled something and dashed into the building. I wisely did not follow. A few moments later, Ditsy emerged.

“Hi” said I

“Hi” she said “The mayor wants to see you. I’m off on my rounds, but before I go, let me offer you a deal. For 25% of your crop, I promise you a light rain every day”

“25%?” I asked “so if I have a bad crop, you only get 25%?”

“Yup” she said “that’s how I work. If you do well, I do well. If you starve, I starve.”

“Sounds good” I said “but first I have to get the land”

“I have faith in you” she said as she flew off. She flew quit well. I kind of like the way she flew. But first things first, time to make my pitch to the mayor and her clerk. That little phrase of Ditsy’s would mean so much to me. It wasn’t the first time some pony had said something like that to me.