It was incredibly funny when buyers would come by the farm to pick out a fluffy
Most people had never seen a solid mahogany fluffy before
“His color is simply beautiful darling!
Such a shame most people only care about the gaudy colored ones.”
“Are you planning on breeding him?”
These were some of the typical responses people had to seeing Grendel for the first time
Today your client was a hug’s angel
“Welcome to vanderholt farm
Mr.Dalton
I’m Victoria vanderholt.
Please tell me a little bit about what you are looking for in regards to a fluffy “
Mr.Dalton strokes his beard
“I’m not too picky about colors so long as they are foals specifically chirpies”
“ I’m terribly sorry mr dalton. But as a general rule we don’t sell foals until they can see and eat solid food “
Mr dalton sighs
“Joleen my mare just gave birth to a litter of stillborns. She as you can imagine is devastated”
“Oh my gosh! That’s horrible!”
“I understand that you have rules on how you choose to run your business.
But if there’s any possible way?
Maybe a foal that was rejected by its mother?
I really don’t want to support the foal-in-a-can industry. So that’s why I came to you.”
You smile
“Given the circumstances I’m willing to make an exception to our usual rule”
“Bless you. Joleen will be so good to them I promise “
Mr dalton goes to his car and brings out Joleen
You go to the foster mother room and gently pick up a dark green newborn chirpy with a deformed front leg
And place him in an open cardboard lined with a warm blanket
You intentionally picked this one to judge the mares caliber as a mother
Joleen picks up the chirpy and immediately begins nursing him
“Tank you nice wady . Joween wub babbe.”
Mr. Dalton takes his wallet out
“How much do I owe you for the little guy ?”
You smile
“ so long you make sure Joleen cares for him and gives him all the love she can, You don’t owe me a penny. “
“Please take this.”
Mr Dalton hands you a $50 bill
“I know it’s not much but I’d rather it go to you than hasbio.”
You start to choke up
“Thank you “
Mr. Dalton takes Joleen and the foal back to the truck and drives away
A couple of hours pass as you still are trying to work out what to do with the feral smarty mare
There’s a very fine line in punishment and abuse
The ashtray and snuff spit bath incident involving Pete’s mother was something you deeply regretted. You remember your own hellish mother using it on you as a child. You Thank God every day that Mr. Vanderholt adopted you
You swore to yourself that you would never inflict a “truck-stop chia pet” as your mom called it , onto another living creature . You broke that promise
Even if it was a fluffy who received it .
You had to get control of your anger.
You would not become your mother
You had worked too hard and too long ,to let a fluffy or anyone else turn you into what you hated most!
You had an idea but it was risky
You approach the feral smarty mare
And make her an offer
“I’ll let you stay here. I’ll even give you a name.
But in return you will be Grendel’s first special friend “
“That’s the offer take it or leave it.”
