{"id":25945,"date":"2021-11-17T18:15:40","date_gmt":"2021-11-18T00:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/?p=25945"},"modified":"2023-01-19T13:15:55","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T19:15:55","slug":"chapter-16-cooking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/2021\/11\/17\/chapter-16-cooking\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 16: Cooking Class"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cVery well. We&#8217;ll go with the horizontal layout in Garamond font,\u201d said Athena, putting papers away into a folder. \u201cAre you sure Thomas authorized you to make this decision?\u201d She looked pointedly at the other two mares at the SSSS with her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHe generally has more important things to deal with than whether or not a header has serifs,\u201d Tabby said bluntly. Strawberry nodded in agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHmm,\u201d said Athena, filing the folder away in her attache case. \u201cIt&#8217;s a shame he wasn&#8217;t able to make this meeting himself, but this will have to do. The final layout is due to the printer at the end of the week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe shindig thing isn\u2019t for ages,\u201d Tabby said. \u201cWhat\u2019s the hurry?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis is for a teaser newspaper spread; it is never too early to plan\u2026 and speaking of such, can I interest either of you in a ticket to the benefit ball?\u201d Athena looked at them expectantly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHey, the clinic is paying for this sponsorship package; don&#8217;t we get to go for free?\u201d Tabby protested.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThomas will receive two tickets,\u201d said Athena sweetly. \u201cYou and Strawberry, however, are on your own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI&#8217;ll take tickets for me and Vanguard,\u201d Strawberry said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don&#8217;t really do parties,\u201d Tabby said with a shrug. \u201cCount me out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt&#8217;s for the animal shelter, Tabby,\u201d Strawberry said, turning beseeching eyes on her friend. \u201cThink of the pets.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThey can have my money; I&#8217;m just not going to some silly dance&#8211;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHi!\u201d said a blue pegasus with a stack of papers, cutting off Tabby. \u201cI\u2019m here on behalf of Greener Pastures Technical College,\u201d she continued, \u201cto spread the word about our community education offerings. Would you like a flyer?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSure,\u201d Strawberry said with a smile, accepting the handout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSome classes start as soon as next week,\u201d the pegasus advised, \u201cbut registration is still open. Have a nice evening!\u201d Then she quickly moved on to the next table to repeat her spiel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strawberry scanned the sheet. \u201cLook, Tabby, here\u2019s Intro to Food Prep,\u201d she said with a teasing look at her friend. \u201cMaybe you need a refresher course.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAre you implying that my kitchen skills are not up to par?\u201d Tabby replied lackadaisically.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBy the cloud of smoke coming from your window every time you\u2019re in the kitchen, it does make one wonder,\u201d Strawberry observed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt\u2019s not that bad,\u201d Tabby protested.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAs I recall, Tabby\u2019s cooking skills have always been of questionable quality,\u201d Athena interjected.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOh, and I\u2019m sure you\u2019re so much better; you\u2019ve never even stepped hoof in a kitchen,\u201d Tabby shot back. \u201cYou have servants who do that for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOf course I can cook,\u201d Athena sniffed. \u201cThere\u2019s just no need, as my talents are better used elsewhere. You, on the other hoof, are simply a failure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don\u2019t know what could have given you that impression,\u201d Tabby said primly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHah! How do you explain your lemon poppyseed disaster at last year\u2019s parish picnic?\u201d Athena challenged. \u201cThe frosting was nothing but flour paste!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI followed the recipe to the letter,\u201d said Tabby indignantly. \u201cHow do <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> explain that lemon meringue pie?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThat was a perfect meringue!\u201d Athena said haughtily.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI didn\u2019t like it,\u201d Tabby sniffed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou don\u2019t know quality when you see it,\u201d Athena said with an elegant eye roll.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell, if you really want to settle the question,\u201d Strawberry said rationally, \u201cthis class would be a good opportunity, giving you a level playing field to gauge your respective strengths and weaknesses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don\u2019t need to prove myself to the likes of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">her<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u201d Athena said, nose tilted up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt sounds like you\u2019re afraid,\u201d said Tabby slyly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHardly,\u201d scoffed Athena. \u201cYou\u2019re the one who once caught a cake on fire in home ec. The bar is set rather low.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two mares stared at each other with narrowed eyes as they each considered the prospect. Tabby reached for the flyer. \u201cThree hours in the evening, Monday through Friday?\u201d She recoiled after studying it. \u201cThat\u2019s grueling!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBut only for one week,\u201d Athena observed, straining to view the paper herself. \u201cNaturally, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">could handle it,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I could see if that would be stretching <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> attention span.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tabby shrugged. \u201cFine. I\u2019m in if you are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFine!\u201d said Athena.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* * *<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWelcome to Introduction to Food Preparation,\u201d Ms. Hosta said, beaming at the motley group of students before her, young and old, from all walks of life. There were even students from two high-profile families, Ms. Hosta was pleased to note. It would give her some \u00e9clat among her fellow instructors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe will be meeting here for the following four evenings,\u201d she continued, \u201cand at the conclusion you will be able to grill, broil, roast, bake, saute, and fry to the amazement of your friends and family!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Later, after the class was settled in the kitchen, Ms. Hosta was moving between workstations, giving advice and praise as needed. \u201cBeautiful bias cut on the vegetables!\u201d she enthused over Athena\u2019s work. \u201cTabby, this is more of a large dice,\u201d she observed. \u201cTry to model yourself more after Athena.\u201d The white pegasus shot a triumphant look at her rival.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOh, what does it matter!\u201d Tabby huffed. \u201cThey\u2019re cut!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDid you shock these vegetables after boiling?\u201d Ms. Hosta asked, taste-testing another of Tabby\u2019s dishes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don\u2019t know if they were properly frightened or not,\u201d said a very frazzled Tabby, her attention strained by two pots boiling over simultaneously.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHmm,\u201d said Ms. Hosta, frowning. \u201cAnd your mise en place could use some work,\u201d she continued. \u201cThis workspace is very unorganized, and you could take some of your dirty dishes out of the way.\u201d But the instructor\u2019s face lit-up when she saw Athena\u2019s presentation. \u201cYour julienned garnish is exactly the right length for the spoon,\u201d she marveled. \u201cSpectacular!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exactly the right length for the spoon<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u201d Tabby muttered under her breath.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTabby, your potato casserole has raw egg in the middle,\u201d Ms. Hosta protested as she reviewed the final project of that night. \u201cNot to mention that the potatoes themselves are mushy. How did you manage that?\u201d She sighed. \u201cNever mind. This goes in the trash, and then we\u2019ll start clean-up. Tabby, you are in charge of the stovetop.\u201d She moved on to Athena. \u201cIt\u2019s done perfectly. You\u2019re a natural,\u201d she gushed. \u201cWould you re-organize the spice shelf?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some time later, a clank and a high-pitched scream were heard. Ms. Hosta and the other students went running to the source of the sound, and found Tabby standing over the cast iron stovetop. \u201cI didn\u2019t know it was still hot!\u201d she gasped in pain as she held her hooves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Hosta sighed. \u201cAthena, would you walk with Tabby to the nurse\u2019s office?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* * *<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Tuesday, Tabby scorched her roux to the pan, over-thickened the white sauce, and scrambled the Hollandaise; Athena\u2019s sauces fared much better. Tabby was able to stomach handling the meats better than Athena, who found the touching of raw flesh to be disconcerting; but even so, Tabby\u2019s roast came untied and her chicken burned, whereas Athena rallied her spirits and performed with aplomb for her dishes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Wednesday, Tabby\u2019s puree of lentils was too thick, and she had a crisis of conscience when it came to boiling crawfish (though, inexplicably, she was fine with chicken and beef), so Ms. Hosta allowed her to make the vegetarian version with artichoke instead. Athena\u2019s medallions of tenderloin were perfectly formed, whereas Tabby\u2019s were oddly shaped. The veal shoulder poele and roast leg of lamb boulangere were similarly bungled by Tabby and relatively mastered by Athena.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thursday was devoted to the art of baking, and Tabby felt more affinity with this topic, though her skills were not necessarily an improvement over other food preparation methods.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTabby, these cookies are very underdone,\u201d Ms. Hosta noted on one of her rounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI like them that way,\u201d Tabby stubbornly held her ground.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYour guests will not,\u201d Ms. Hosta said firmly. \u201cNote how Athena\u2019s are uniformly golden brown.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThey\u2019re burned!\u201d said Tabby, horrified.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was not all smooth sailing for Athena, however. \u201cAthena, perhaps a less ornate icing design will suffice,\u201d Ms. Hosta said gently about the cake project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019m halfway done! I can\u2019t give up on it now!\u201d Athena protested, cutting out fondant swirls.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI applaud your creativity, but the assignment was for plain buttercream frosting, not a fondant work of art. You still have three more projects to complete by the end of the night,\u201d Ms. Hosta reminded her gently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tabby also tripped up on the pie project. \u201cYou forgot to put weights on the pie crusts, and now they\u2019ve bubbled up,\u201d Ms. Hosta said, shaking her head. \u201cYou\u2019ll have to do them over.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell, excuse me for not knowing that pie crusts need to hit the gym!\u201d said a flustered Tabby, chef\u2019s hat askew, flour dusted over her face.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next was the peach cobbler. \u201cYes, well, for a cobbler, it\u2019s a bit overdone; but perhaps it could be considered a brown betty,\u201d said Ms. Hosta doubtfully, eyeing the rather charred crust on the fruit dish. Tabby didn\u2019t look too happy herself. \u201cHeavenly,\u201d Ms. Hosta said of Athena\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the last project of the night, the students had been asked to bring in their own recipe to modify. \u201cTabby, the assignment was to take an existing recipe and make alterations to create a heart-healthy dish,\u201d said a much-aggrieved Ms. Hosta upon seeing Tabby\u2019s effort. \u201cYou seem to have a pan of melted chocolate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYes, that\u2019s right,\u201d Tabby said eagerly. \u201cI cut most of the other ingredients out, and the serving size is half a square inch, but it&#8217;s heart-healthy! I ran the numbers!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou have a most intriguing outlook on life,\u201d said Ms. Hosta vaguely, moving to Athena\u2019s area. \u201cYour ambrosia salad is scrumptious,\u201d she raved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThank you,\u201d said Athena demurely. \u201cI substituted low-fat yogurt for whipped topping.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou must share the recipe with me,\u201d Ms. Hosta said before moving on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI think it\u2019s clear which of us has really proven ourselves,\u201d Athena said to Tabby as they left the building that night.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe still have the final!\u201d Tabby insisted. \u201cIt\u2019s not over yet!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* * *<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe\u2019re the only ones left, and it\u2019s all because you forgot the coconut rice risotto and let it burn to the pan!\u201d Athena wailed, hooves immersed in dish water. \u201cIt\u2019s permanently adhered, and we can\u2019t leave until it\u2019s clean! How <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">could<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was Friday night, and the final exercise was over and done with for all but Tabby and Athena, who had been partners. Ms.Hosta had kindly but firmly told them they could not leave until their messes were dealt with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell, excuse me, but I happened to be at the eye rinse station!\u201d Tabby snapped, sweeping under the stove. \u201cThe fried chicken was trying to kill me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cEveryone else handled the deep fryer fine without eye protection. I don\u2019t know how you could mess up that badly!\u201d Athena said in exasperation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don\u2019t know what I was supposed to do differently!\u201d Tabby said, throwing up her hooves in dismay and letting the broom drop. The handle spun in an arc and landed on Athena\u2019s head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Athena glared and stiffly returned the broom to Tabby\u2019s grasp. \u201cAnyway, I should have been the one doing the fried chicken,\u201d she continued, \u201cbut instead I was cleaning up another of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> messes! What a ridiculous idea, to substitute some unproven Sasquatch powder for baking soda!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt was supposed to make it light and airy, NOT explode!\u201d Tabby insisted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou\u2019ve always been like this,\u201d Athena fumed, \u201cever since school days!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d Tabby snapped, standing defensively with her hooves at her hips.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou think you can always do so much better without taking anyone else into account,\u201d Athena said, getting fired up. \u201cRemember the senior class play?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI hardly see how that has any tie-in to this!\u201d Tabby protested, taken aback.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Athena rolled her eyes heavenward. \u201cIt\u2019s just an example,\u201d she said. \u201cPerhaps the first example that made me see clearly how you operate. You\u2019re always making a fuss about being eccentric, and forcing everyone along with you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tabby stood, gape-mouthed. \u201cHave you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lost your mind<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?\u201d she gasped. \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI had the part of my dreams in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clarice Davenport<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u201d Athena forged ahead, \u201cuntil you convinced the department head to change a long-seated tradition, introducing an avante-garde catastrophe in its place!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI made a perfectly reasonable suggestion, and the teacher agreed with me, that\u2019s all!\u201d Tabby argued, though still a little unclear on how this fit into cooking class. \u201cIt\u2019s Mr. Albertson\u2019s fault more than mine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secret Dreams of Reality<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, my hoof!\u201d Athena said with derision. \u201cYou upended everything that the school stood for!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell, maybe you needed it!\u201d Tabby cried.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou turned a sacred tradition,\u201d Athena said, irate, \u201cinto a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mockery<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt wasn\u2019t that bad!\u201d Tabby said, exasperated. \u201cIt was an existential treatise on modern life! Not that you or any of the others had any idea what real life was like, not in your protective cocoons of riches!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI was expected to play a giant moth doing a musical number about taxes accompanied by dancers in shrew costumes!\u201d Athena wailed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou didn\u2019t give it a chance! You never even read the whole script!\u201d Tabby argued.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI didn\u2019t need to read past the first scene, which was utter nonsense,\u201d Athena snapped.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt was a vast improvement over <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> drivel about some spoiled rich filly!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clarice<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was the inspiring story of a determined debutante who used her riches and influence to promote a healthy infrastructure for society,\u201d Athena said, glaring. \u201cI always identified with her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI dare you to watch <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secret Dreams of Reality<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">!\u201d Tabby challenged, throwing down a washrag. \u201cPerhaps by now you can appreciate the subtle nuances of expression that clearly went over your head back then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOnly if <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> watch <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clarice<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u201d snapped Athena. \u201cPerhaps you\u2019re mature enough to recognize the gripping tale of pony experience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFine!\u201d Tabby said. \u201cWe\u2019ll watch them both, and see which has <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">really<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> stood the test of time!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFine,\u201d said Athena coolly. \u201cWe can use my personal theater\u2026 we may as well do this in style.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIs everything okay, girls?\u201d asked Ms. Hosta, poking her head in. \u201cI was hoping to get out of here by ten, if you could finish by then\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* * *<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some time later, two dazed-looking mares staggered into Athena\u2019s kitchen, eyes adjusting to the light.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOh, my,\u201d said Athena, looking stricken.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYeah,\u201d Tabby agreed. \u201cThey were both awful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI remembered it a bit differently,\u201d Athena admitted. \u201cI\u2019m sure there was more\u2026 er, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dimensionality<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of character. Clarice was a twit. Do you want ice cream?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYeah, sure\u2026 I don\u2019t recall <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secret Dreams<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> being so disjointed,\u201d Tabby said reluctantly, taking a seat at the counter. \u201cI don\u2019t know what the playwright was on, but that\u2019s some seriously messed-up story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cPerhaps it\u2019s been silly to hold onto a grudge so long over an\u2026 inconsequential school play,\u201d Athena said begrudgingly, getting out bowls and spoons.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell, that isn\u2019t the only reason we\u2019re feuding,\u201d Tabby pointed out..<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI looked up to you, you know,\u201d Athena said at length, after serving up heaping bowls of ice cream.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou cut me down every chance you got!\u201d Tabby said, stupefied.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt was the only way to get your attention,\u201d Athena said. \u201cYou wrote me off as a spoiled fashionista and ridiculed me! The problem with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that you abuse the respect you garner.\u201d She glared.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat is that supposed to mean?\u201d Tabby\u2019s brow creased.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI could do something really meaningful if I had your background&#8211;something to really better the world,\u201d Athena said with heart. \u201cSome of us have to work to accumulate that respect. Your family can afford to be eccentric, and no one cares.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don\u2019t have that much influence,\u201d Tabby said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYour family can hold their own with the multi-billionaires. Your mother wines and dines with the Casales and Vandercorns!\u201d Athena cried out. \u201cOutside of Misty Hollow, I\u2019m nothing but the daughter of a backwoods mayor!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don\u2019t want to be noticed,\u201d Tabby said, uncharacteristically quiet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBut you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> noticed, by virtue of who you are, and you can\u2019t change that. You have a responsibility,\u201d Athena insisted. \u201cYour mother is a patron of various local enterprises, and you&#8217;re respected for that connection, even if you don&#8217;t appreciate it. I know that the library fundraising committee has floated your name, and you&#8217;ve turned down making opening remarks at the town festival multiple times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNo one wants to see me do those things. Trust me,\u201d said Tabby emphatically. \u201cI won\u2019t give up who I am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBut just think about what you could accomplish for others!\u201d Athena brought her hoof down hard on the counter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou\u2019re the worst snob there is,\u201d Tabby pointed out. \u201cYou treat everyone like they\u2019re not worthy to breathe the same air as you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt\u2019s necessary to keep my distance to maintain my image,\u201d Athena explained, \u201cand therefore my ability to influence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tabby looked skeptical. \u201cI\u2019m not completely buying that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe point is\u2026 well, I\u2019m not really sure I remember my point,\u201d Athena admitted. &#8220;More ice cream?&#8221; She reached for the scoop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI still don\u2019t trust you,\u201d said Tabby, pushing her bowl closer, \u201cbut sure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cVery well. We&#8217;ll go with the horizontal layout in Garamond font,\u201d said Athena, putting papers away into a folder. \u201cAre you sure Thomas&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1071],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25945"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31435,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25945\/revisions\/31435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}