Upper Crust

Cookie watched as the last batch of treats were baking in the oven. It wasn’t even 9am and she was exhausted. Her and Rolling Pin had been up early trying their best to get everything as ready as it could be.

The last two days had been well...a whirlwind would be the only way she could really describe it. Everything had surprisingly gone to plan. The final touches had been made to the interior, everything had been tidied up and cleaned. The work ponies had left yesterday with a message of good luck and they wished the two well on their journey. A few had even said they’d come back once they were properly open to buy some of what they’d be offering. Right now, Cookie was just staring at the oven and waiting for the inevitable ping! it would make once they were ready.

“Will you stop staring?” Pinny said. “You haven’t even looked out the front and there’s only 10 minutes until we open. Don’t you want to see?”

“See what?” Cookie replied.

“Well...there’s already some customers waiting. Obviously the flyers I put up around town yesterday worked.”

Cookie peeled herself away from the oven and made her way to the front where Pinny was putting the final touches to the displays and preparing for them to open up shop. There was indeed a very small line of ponies waiting patiently outside. A few Cookie actually recognised. They were old regulars from the days when they had the food cart. Some though were new. This was good and bad. What if they were critics? Or ponies from high society? A bad review would break their business. Suddenly she was in full on panic mode again, at least for just a moment until her eyes came to rest on one particular pony standing in line.

“He’s uh...wow.” she said.

“I know. I noticed him too. Gotta be twice as big as any pony I’ve ever seen. Clearly a big eater.” Pinny replied with a small chuckle. “At least we know we’ll be making some sales.”

Cookie observed the clock. “5 minutes. Look are we ready? I’d rather be open and get business going than waiting around until the exact moment.”

“Be my guest dear. Ponies are waiting.” Pinny mused. He took his place behind the counter. Cookie made her way to the front door and unlocked it, flipping the sign from Closed to Open. Without a huge amount of fanfare, Upper Crust was open for business. The mare opened the door with a big smile and gave a little welcome and thanked the queuing ponies for waiting before taking her place behind the counter to serve.

It was a pretty even mixture of ponies of all types and colours, both mares and stallions who entered the store. A few were in a slight rush, clearly on their way to work. Both ponies dealt with them first and quickly served them. Each ordered a small panini and were already eating it before they had left the building.

“I hope they actually taste it.” Pinny quipped to Cookie was just finishing up serving a different customer. “I can’t stand ponies who inhale food without actually getting a taste for it. Why bother?”

Once the small rush from the ponies on their way to work had died down the rest of the ponies who had made their way in were actually mostly milling about the store looking at what to buy. Some had actually bought a small pastry or some other thing and were sat at one of the tables eating it. Some of the old regular said hello and wished them well also, commenting that even though it was a bit more of a journey for them it was worth it to once again get the food they had so enjoyed from the cart. Cookie smiled, suddenly with customers it felt like a real bakery.

“Excuse me miss?”

Cookie turned her attention back to the pony that was in front of her. She tried not to make any obvious reactions. It was the extremely large stallion from the line outside.

“Yes, can I help you?” she replied, smiling at him.

“Is it possible for you to bag up one of every item you have on display? I’m talking about the sweet treats of course. I’d also like if possible a singular slice of each bread. My name is Five Stars, I’ve reviewed food from every bakery in town and yours shall be no exception.”

“Where was he when we were running that cart?” Pinny said under his breath, clearly not quietly enough.

“Excuse me sir?”

“What Pinny means to say sir is that we had a bakery cart in the park before here, we are not new to this. He was curious as to why you didn’t visit us then.” Cookie asked.

“A food cart as a bakery? What a novel idea. I’m sorry though my dear I only review from brick and mortar establishments. Not just bakeries either.”

“No kidding, at that size…” Cookie heard Pinny say below her as he pulled one of each of the treats out from below the counter as well as then going to fetch a singular slice of each type of bread that was on offer. A strange request, it would mean each customer buying one would get an ever so slightly smaller loaf. He just hoped none of them would notice. He brought the bag to the counter and let Cookie do the math for the cost which she gave over to him.

“Reasonably priced, that will earn you an extra notch on the review. I’ll be taking this little lot home to really taste test. If it’s good, I’ll be back. You’ll be able to read my review in The Manehattan Gazette.” the rotund stallion said, picking up the bag and then turning himself around. Rather amusingly his large flanks brushed the customer next to him at the counter who he apologised to before leaving.

“The Manehattan Gazette? You know I thought I recognised the name when he said it.” Pinny said. “Yeah, he writes all the food reviews. Shows too. I did try and pick out the best for him.” the stallion said before going back to serving.

Cookie was now more worried than ever. What if he didn’t like it? The bakery wouldn’t even have a chance to build up a customer base because a single bad review could decimate any chance of that before it even happened! All she could do was wait for tomorrow. Like Pinny said he had picked out the best. It wouldn’t be that bad surely? On the plus side, a good review would mean that the opening time queue would be much, much longer…

The rest of the day would shape up to give the two an idea of what ‘business as usual’ would constitute. There was always a small lull between lunch and evening dinner time as ponies were at work. The most trade done was when ponies got out their office for a break around noon and then around five in the evening as they headed home in rush hour. No incidents. The day went well and the majority of the stock was sold. It was when they were cleaning up Cookie finally said something.

“Aren’t you worried?” she asked Pinny who was just cleaning some of the counter tops.

“About what?”

“Five Stars. The review? It could make or break us.”

“Oh sure, but you heard him. I doubt it’s going to be bad.” Pinny replied, carrying on cleaning.

“How can you be so relaxed? We’ve spent so long building up to this and it could all be destroyed by a few pen strokes!”

“Look dear, you have to be a bit more relaxed about all this. Yes it could, but that’s very unlikely. From what he said even with my little jabs he was going to give us points for the cost. We did our best today because it was opening day. He got the tastiest food we had to offer. Okay asking for a single slice of bread was a little strange but maybe he’s trying not to pack on more pounds.” Pinny explained, with a little snicker at the end of his sentence. “Although clearly the life of a food reviewer for the paper takes its toll on the body.”

“Alright, if you say so. But I get to say I told you so if it’s bad.” Cookie replied.

“Same, when it’s good. Not if it’s good. When it’s good. I’ll pick up a copy of The Manehattan Gazette tomorrow and we can read it together.”

“Deal.”

The two tidied up and readied the store for tomorrow. It was strange, Cookie was almost expecting a bit more pomp and circumstance on their first day of opening. But they had sold well and made a good chunk of money. She was happy and it seemed Pinny was as well. As they locked up for the night and headed home, she couldn’t quite get her mind off tomorrow. What would Five Stars say in his review? Like Pinny said, she’d just have to be patient.