My Little Pony: Worker Birds
Chapter 10: Blue Collar (Meet N' Greet)
Look at the ponies that work here. Look at the way they laugh, and smile. They enjoy their work, but most of all they work hard to make sure that this project gets built on time. These are ponies that work hard for their bits. Every scoop from an excavator to move the earth to the hammering and swing of the crane and other machines means everything
The stallions that come here to work are big, rugged, strong stallions just like us griffons and mountain hippogriffs. The same goes for the mares. They are big, healthy and even pretty. In the snack lines, you get to meet and talk with them. Working here means everything to them from all the concrete that gets poured to building up this skyscraper itself
The first pony I met was an Earth Pony, a big one too. She was my size from her big and heathy haunches to the size of her head. She had a black mane in a braid, and a well-kept tail. Her cutie mark was a sunset over a coastal highway. She has olive-tanned fur, and bright brown eyes. She spoke with this beautiful Latina accent "Do you like it here?"
"Oh yes, very much so,"
"Do you work for Skyline?" she asked
"I have my own firm," I smiled
"¿Eres un Grifo?" she asked
"No, soy una Hipogrifo," I replied
¿En serio? ¿Dónde está tu melena?
"Oh, soy una Hipogrifo de Montaña, no tengo una melena," I explained to her, and got an 'ah' understanding from her. She is a nice mare. The line was moving kind of slowly so it was giving me an opportunity to get to know her. She wore a yellow hardhat, and orange safety vest. Knowing she speaks English, I switched it up, "So what work do you do?"
"You see the Bucyrus? The orange one with the big black tracks? That is mine," she pointed out to me, pointing at the huge dirt mountain that we work on. She's really good at what she does. Even with the tough work she does, she still keeps herself looking beautiful. She has very pretty eyelashes that flutter like butterfly wings, "and what about you?"
"I often switch between jobs with my friends from working the excavator to driving the dump trucks, I help operate that Northwest shovel, the big one with the black tracks," I replied, her eyes had a sparkle to them. The line moved. I got the coffees and some original glaze and chocolate-frosted glazed donuts in plain and with sprinkles for my friends.
"That shovel is yours?" she asked
"Your shovel's a beast," she praised
"Thank you, I love her too" I explained, I really do. When I first bought this Northwest 100DH, it was a rust bucket for sure. I took apart, and refurbished every single part of the engine back into working order. I reworked all the wiring, and the paneling down to every nut and bolt. It's like she came off the assembly line just like she did 30 years ago
"I restored every part on her" I added
"I'm Heloise, Heloise Vanner"
"And I'm Buena Vista, mucho gusto," she replied, and shook her hoof. Bigger-than-average mares like her must be the norm when it comes to mares around a construction site. I haven't seen a single petite or average-sized mare since I started my business years ago. Back then, when I got a phone call for a job, I'd to ask if they need a truck or shovel.
With the help of Gilda and Gabby, I don't have to do that anymore, "Come with me, and you can meet my best friends," I said to Buena Vista as we walked up to our machines. There is Gabby on the walkway, and Gilda sitting on the stairs near the cab. They both look happy to see me, and donuts, "Gilda, Gabby, this is Buena Vista the Shovel Operator"
"Hey there, nice to meet you, I'm Gabriela, but you can call me 'Gabby', let me tell yah, you can really swing that shovel," said Gabby, I do admit that Gilda is partly right about Gabby being a 'chatterbox'. To me, that's what makes Gabby so lovable. She's on 'shovel duty' today. It may sound unglamorous, but it's as fun as working with the dump trucks
"Sup? I'm Gilda," said Gilda simply
"Nice to meet you," Gilda smiled kindly
"Half eagle...half lion," Buena Vista grinned
"And all awesome...she's better," said Gilda
"She's the greatest boss ever!" cheered Gabby
Gilda pointed a talon back to me. I smiled, and lightly blushed, "You're too kind, Gilda," I replied, and got a playful swat on my big haunches, making a wiggle and making Buena Vista giggle with a hoof touching her muzzle. After donuts and coffee between us and our new mare-friend, it is time to work. The bulldozers made a new path on the lower level
I gave a playful tap to Buena Vista's flanks, making them wiggle just like mine and I got a light bump of a nudge back from her. Now Buena Vista will get lines of dump trucks to fill and help with moving down this mountain of earth and crushed rock. While talking to her on our radios, Buena Vista said she's from Califoalnia, but she moved to Manehattan
I was driving down to the aggregate recycling plant with the 1986 Autocar AT64F Dump Truck, I gave a wave and a honk of the horn to my new friend. Buena Vista waved back, and got to work with a Peterbilt 389 'Super 10' Transfer Dump Truck to be the first in line to get both it's dump box and transfer trailer filled. This party never stops around here.