Dirty Birds

by TheFlyingHippogriff

Model Workers

Gabby's dive into the muck was a fitting end to the day. I pulled her out of the soupy mud where Gilda sprayed her off with a garden hose, and Gabby went to her new home to shower off the rest of the mess. Gwendoline's bell chimed, and the whistle blew which signaled the end of the day. Every griffon at work looked forward to suppertime.

Gwendoline served a very traditional Griffonstone recipe. Something we griffons and hippogriffs call 'soldier stew'. It is a bit like a potluck meal. It is a thick gravy-like stew of smoked kielbasa sausage, white beans, lentils, shredded meat off a chicken, and leftover shredded and smoked ham hock. It goes great with a scoop of mashed potatoes.

I smiled and nodded to her as she filled my bowl, "Merci beaucoup," I said to her, and went to sit my butt on Ma Deuce's tracks,

"Hey you birdies work hard everyday, you all deserve a good meal," said Gwendoline, and filled Gilda's bowl, followed by Gabby and Greta,

"True that, you don't work, you don't eat," said Gilda, I have watched Gilda mature into a better griffon. When I was a fletchling, Gilda always made fun of me for the fact I was half-mare. Thanks to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie and a little guidance from Gabby, Gilda is easier to work with. I saw the good in her and Greta when I first hired them.

Gilda sat in Kaiser's bucket. She took off her hardhat, and began to eat, "Mmm...food tastes better when you work for it," said Gilda, liking Gwendoline's cooking. We griffons and hippogriffs like meat, but don't worry your tails, we won't eat ponies, "you know, if it weren't for these machines, I'd still be selling Griffonscones," said Gilda thankfully,

"And if it weren't for ya'll, I don't even wanna know what'll become of us," said Ma Deuce,

"It is indeed a very scary thought," said Kaiser, "it was wunderbar that the princesses came to visit, quite charming they are,"

Yesterday was a very special day, it was then that we all received our first paychecks. No matter how you earn it, money is money. Every one working on the site is probably making plans on what to do with their land once the project is done. We have a ways to go, but no matter what we make progress each day. We will finish the canal on time.

While we are all here, we enjoy the comforts at the end of the day. Gwendoline's food is so good, it would be a waste to not lick the bowl clean. The next day, it was back to work after breakfast. I drank coffee from my thermos cup after a breakfast of cinnamon-apple oatmeal, and got to work in the cab of Ma Deuce. It is another day on the job.

Garrett was working with Lana on the upper level. Ma Deuce and Kaiser worked on the lower with Kitten, Scoop, and Princess, "Mmmhmm...gotta work those pistons,"

"You said it, sistah," said Scoop, filling another train car with rock and dirt. Holly and Helena were coming down the mountain trail with heavy loads.

One thing I always live by is this: "nothing in life will ever given to you, you have to earn it". When you want something, you have to do things to prove to both yourself and others that you earned the right to the thing you want. For a fletchling it could be a toy or new ball to play with. For adults like me, it can be a raise in your monthly paycheck.

I maybe the owner of the Golden Eagle Excavation and Mining Company, but my office will never be in a building in front of a computer. My office is in the cabs of machines like Ma Deuce and Kaiser or Blossom and Belladonna to name a few. These machines will never grow old under our care, and I see the bonds of friendship forming between us

I see them form between me and Ma Deuce or between Kaiser and Gilda. Now I see the bond between Gabby and Blossom, "It's a beautiful thing, ain't it?" asked Ma Deuce,

"Oui," I said at her controls, and saw Gabby give Blossom a hug and a kiss to her bucket before starting her shift, "it really is,"

When you come to work, it is best to be prepared. Always wear your hardhat, and have your tool belt around. With our tools, some griffons carry around a knife for everyday tasks around the site from fixing and mending ropes to smaller detail work on the big machines. My everyday knife is the CRKT Saker. It's a simple tool, but it works very well

Plaid shirts with rolled up sleeves are popular on the site, but every griffon here wears an orange safety vest. It's always nice to have an audience when you work. We always work better when others are watching just as long as they stay behind the fence. I'm always on my wings, flying from one end to the other to see if anybirdy might need help.

The fletchlings, fillies, and colts would watch us work. I always wave back with a smile, "You kiddies stay behind the fence, don't want any of you getting hurt," said Blossom,

Today was a big day. We were laying down more track for the rail system. Everyday we push forward, and down more railroad tracks. I feel relieved that there are ponies out there that don't believe in that garbage the old worker ponies have been saying about us. Ponies are at the helms of the trains hauling out the rock and dirt for proper disposal

"Keep it coming, we gotta stay on time," called out Rail Rider the conductor. The mantra is simple: we all work together, and we get things done.

Comments

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Is this story in any way related to Angry Birds?