By the time Twilight had caught up to Earl, he was already stepping into his red buggie.
“Earl! Wait up, I was going to help you down the stairs!”
“Bah, you’re too slow, kid. I’m in a hurry, can’t stay idle all day long while you hit on the waitress.”
“I wasn’t hitting Pinkie!”
Earl paused a moment, staring at Twilight. “You’re not that bright, are ya kid?”
Twilight flinched back. “I’m quite smart, thank you very much.”
Earl rolled his eyes, turning the key on his buggie. Rolling the handle on the side, it backed up, little white lights on the rear shining bright and the vehicle emitting a beeping. Then rolling the handle the other way, he began forward, leaving Sugarcube Corner. Twilight trotted to catch up to him, following along side.
They continued on in silence, save for the electric wirring of Earl’s buggy. Every once in awhile he’d slow down to look around, then randomly make a turn, all the while still honking his horn at ponies if they weren’t quick enough to get out of his way.
After nearly running over Roseluck, Twilight decided she should try to talk to him again. She coughed. “So, Earl-”
“Whazzat? Who’s there?” Earl looked around, then saw Twilight. “Oh, you again. What, haven’t anything better to do than follow me around?”
“Well, not really, no.”
“Then make yourself useful and tell me where the bus station is.”
“Bus station? Is that like a train station?”
“Bus, train, plane, I don’t care. Just something so I can keep going.”
“Going where?”
“West.”
“West?”
“Get that cotton out of your ears, kid. Yes, I’m heading West.”
“What’s so important about going West, if you don’t know where it is you’re going?”
“I know where I’m going.”
“Well, if you tell me then maybe I can help you.”
“Private business, kid. All you need to know is West.”
Twilight groaned, trotting ahead of Earl and blocking his way. He let the buggy come to a stop, glaring at her with a scowl.
“Earl, I don’t think you know where you are.”
“Of course I know where I am.”
Twilight raised a brow.
“All I’ve smelled since I got into this town is horse shit, so I must be in Kentucky.”
Twilight blinked. “Uhhhhh… what?”
“I was stationed at Camp Campbell for eight months before we went to Korea. Place always stunk like horse shit.”
“Do you mean that figuratively or literally?”
Earl grabbed his cane from the basket of his buggy, smacking Twilight on the head with it.
“OW! Hey!”
“No more stupid questions. What do they teach you kids in school these days? It’s all about fancy numbers and big words to try and impress big wigs. Bah!”
Earl began rolling forward again, leaving Twilight rubbing a bump on her head.
“Hey, kid, is there some sort of festival goin’ on?”
Twilight looked ahead, seeing Earl parked near a familiar building.
“No, that’s Carousel Boutique, my friend-”
“So it’s a clothing shoppe, eh? Good, I need a sun hat. Blasted heat is getting the better of me.” Earl drove up to the door, stopping.
Twilight trotted to catch up, and stood beside Earl, who was sitting there tapping his fingers on the handles of his buggy.
“Well?” Twilight asked.
“Waiting on you, kid. I can’t open the door myself.”
“Oh.” Twilight used her magic to open the door, jingling a little bell.
“Oh, it’s an automatic door. Shoulda figured, these fancy blasted electronics these days,” Earl rolled in, “I’ll have you know, back in my day, we didn’t have fancy things like automatic doors-”
“But, it wasn’t-” Twilight was cut off.
“-Or grocery carts, or even FM stereo!”
“What?”
“Welcome to Carousel Boutique! How may I- OH, Twilight, it’s you! And… uh…”
Rarity stepped through a curtain, a cloth draped over her back and her sewing glasses on her face. Upon seeing her friend she lowered the glasses down her muzzle.
“Uh, Rarity, this is Earl. He… just kinda showed up.”
“I gathered as much,” Rarity looked to the man, who had already begun to browse a clothing rack.
“Bah, what’s with these kids and their sense of fashion? What happened to normal dress shirts, or pinstripes? I had a pinstripe suit I wore before Korea, after that it was my dress uniform from then on out.”
“Uh, Twilight, what ever is he talking about?”
“Rarity, I have no clue.”
Suddenly, the buggy stopped between the mares. “I’m looking for a sun hat.”
“A… sun hat?” Rarity asked.
“Jesus, are all of you deaf around here? Yes, a sun hat! That blasted sun is beating on my bald head, I’m gonna shrivel up before I get to where I need to go. So I need a sun hat.”
“Well, I do have hats, yes, but I’m not sure I would have any that would fit your head.”
Earl frowned. “Are you calling my head fat?”
“What? No no no, I just mean, I’m not used to pon-er, people with such…”
“Okay okay, quit with the stalling. Can you make one then?”
Rarity blinked, gave Twilight a look, then looked back to Earl. “I suppose so?”
“How long?”
“Well, I need to take some measurements-”
“How long?” Earl asked again, less patient.
“An hour?”
“Perfect. I’m a seven and three eighths.”
“Seven and three eighths what?” Rarity asked.
“My head, for hat size.”
“They have a hat size where you’re from?”
“Jesus Christ, I must be further south than I thought.” Earl slapped his cheek.
“Just let me measure your head real quick, then it shouldn’t be too long.”
“Fine, fine. Make it snappy, I need to make the next bus if I’m to keep to my schedule.”
“What’s a bus?” Rarity asked Twilight in a whisper.
Twilight shrugged, mouthing “I don’t know.”
Rarity quickly measured around Earl’s head, taking a second measure to ensure she got it the right depth. Then she set to work, while Earl made himself comfy in his buggy, fishing through his suitcase for something. Twilight sat beside him, watching as he found a small black box with a wire. He took the end of the wire, with a small bud on it, and stuck it in his ear, and with a click he began moving dials on the box.
“Blasted, I’m getting no signal here.”
“Signal for what?”
“The radio.” Earl smacked the box with his hand. “I’m trying to find something to listen to that isn’t garbage.”
“Earl, would you like me to put on some music?” Rarity asked, turning from her sewing machine.
“You actually got anything worth listening to? None of that rap crap or boom box boogie?”
“I… don’t know what either of those are, but I do have my record player.”
“Huh, you actually got one? I thought kids anymore didn’t care about vinyl.”
“Vinyl? She’s quite the hit in Manehattan, but not so much in rural towns here. She’s all about techno.”
Earl turned to Twilight. “She got some screws loose, kid?”
Twilight tilted her head. “No? I think her sewing machine is working just fine.”
Earl placed his hand on his chest. “Lord, save me from these idiots.”
Rarity floated over her record player, taking a single record out of a sleeve and putting it on. She cranked it a few times, then placed the needle on, the distinctive crackles coming to life.
“A old Victrola, eh? I like your music style, lady. Fashion not so much, but music is alright.”
“Thank you… I think?” Rarity turned back to her sewing machine.
Soon enough, music began playing through the gramophone.
“Oh, this takes me back.” Earl put the little box back into his suitcase. “Reminds me of Gleason. He had a way with music, that just made you want to dance.”
“Do you dance, Mister Earl?” Rarity asked.
“Do I? Why, I have trophies.” Earl reached in his suitcase, grabbing a small gold figurine of a couple dancing. “First place for couples slow dance.”
Rarity nodded, then continued on her work. “I prefer this slower music. It’s much more intimate, and helps calm my nerves when I’m working on multiple projects.”
“Mhm.” Earl mumbled, lost in the music.
The record continued into another song, Earl rocking in his buggy in a melancholy mood. Twilight didn’t understand the big deal, sure this music was nice, but it wasn’t that old. Another song began to play on the machine.
“Do you dance, lady?”
Rarity, whom had finished with the machine work, and now was onto hoof stitches, turned to Earl.
“Of course.”
“To this kind of music?”
“Well, I can’t say just this, but at balls and garden events mostly yes.”
Earl creaked out of his seat, leaving his cane behind he made a slow walk towards the mare and held out his hand.
“Care to dance?”
Rarity was taken aback. What happened to the rude man who insulted her clothing? She looked to Twilight, who looked on equally as shocked. Rarity placed her hoof into Earl’s hand, and stood upright with the man. While taller than her by a couple heads, he still naturally took her into an embrace and began swaying, Rarity with him.
Earl squeezed Rarity’s hooves in his hands. “Boy, and I thought the calluses on my feet were bad.”
Rarity couldn’t help but let out a lady like snicker, but continued to dance along to the music. For the first time in what felt like ages, she was able to block out all her work orders, and just enjoy a quiet dance with another, resting her head on his lower chest.
“You really are quite the dancer, Earl.”
“You too, Darla,” Earl whispered.
“Who?” Rarity asked.
“Who what?” Earl parted with Rarity, the mare falling back down to her hooves, the record hitting it’s end and spun in constant circles at the center.
“I thought you called me Dar-” Rarity was cut off.
“Nothing, forget it.” It was like a switch was hit, Earl returned to his crouchy self and waddled back to his buggy. “Now I don’t have all day, I need a hat.”
Rarity watched as the man sat, then stared at the spinning gramophone. Rarity stared a little longer, then with her magic pulled the needle away, flipped the record and played the other side.
Twilight looked at Earl, his face going back to that melancholy expression. The only sounds being from the record player, and Rarity humming along as she sewed.
----------
Quicker than she estimated, Rarity had a wicker sun hat made for Earl. With a fashionable black cotton bond, finished off with a burgundy bow to match his buggy.
“Well? What do you think?”
Earl flipped the hat around, inspecting it.
“Nice brim width, padded for when I sweat. Coarse enough so it breathes.”
Rarity held her breath.
“It’ll do.” Earl placed the hat on his head.
Rarity let out her breath, a raspberry trailing on the edge.
Earl pulled out his wallet. “What do I owe you?”
Rarity smiled. “For the dance? Free of charge.”
Earl looked at the mare, brow raised, but shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
As Earl began preparing his buggy once again, Twilight approached Rarity.
“Well, he’s rough around the edges, but sweet if you play slow music,” Rarity frowned, shaking her head.
“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.
“The poor dear seems troubled, like that music, and the dance, took him back before something happened to upset him so.”
Twilight looked back to Earl, who was now driving towards the door. “Hurry up, kid! I need to get to the bus station.”
“I guess that’s your cue to go,” Rarity said.
“Rarity, I have no idea what he is looking for, or how to help him.”
“Honestly, dear? I don’t think he knows either.”
Twilight’s ears went flat. The buggy’s horn wouldn’t allow her to dwell on Rarity’s thought for long however.
“Come on kid! Hurry it up. I shouldn’t be faster than you.”
“I’m coming, Earl.” Twilight stepped away, but couldn’t help but look at Rarity once more.
Rarity waved her hoof. “Go on, darling.”
Twilight turned back towards Earl, opening the door with her magic.
“What is with these damn electric doors? They’re as slow to open as you are to keep up.”
Twilight sighed. Today was bound to only get more and more interesting.