Howdy, pard'ner. Name's Macintosh Apple. Big Mac 'r jus' Mac is ah'rite. Oh, ya wanna know 'bout me an' thuh farm? Well, workin' on thuh farm ah'ways reminded me 'a mah parents an' it was those ponies tha' shaped me tuh who Ah am tuhday. Le'mme take ya back when Ah was jus' a lil' colt.
Sweet Apple Acres; mah parents inherited thuh family farm from Granny Smith. Thuh rest 'a thuh Apple family spread out all ov'r Equestria tuh grow an' sell our delicious apples. At thuh time, mah lil' sist'r Applejack left home tuh live with our relatives, thuh Oranges, in Manehatten. Mah youngest sis', Applebloom, was bein' cared fer under Granny Smith while mah parents were busy. Mah Pa, Big Apple, was quite thuh large an' imposin' pony, his will as tough as iron, an' mah Ma, Apple Eden, was very kind with a warm gentleness tha' could make anypony smile jus' by lookin' at 'er. An' me, Macintosh Apple, Ah was rath'r small fer a colt which is why they named me Macintosh. It's a rath'r tiny apple if ya didn't know.
Anyhow, mah parents worked real hard on thuh farm ev'ryday tuh make enough bits fer our family. Mah Pa would be workin' thuh fields an' harvestin' while mah Ma would be bakin' goods an' sellin' 'em at our produce stand out front near thuh gate. They were a great team an' Ah enjoyed watchin' an' helpin' 'em from time tuh time. Mah Pa showed me how tuh bundle up thuh wheat an' oth'r crops, as well as how he plows thuh fields. An' mah Ma showed me how tuh bake a whole lott'a pastries, especially 'er homemade apple pies. There ain't no pony tha' can make a pie as good as mah Ma – she learned from thuh best. When thuh sun set an' it was time tuh hit thuh hay aft'r a long busy day, Ah'd snuggle up with mah Ma, an' she'd sing tuh me, 'er soft angelic voice resonatin' an' would draw me tuh sleep. Ah slowly started tuh memorize thuh lyrics an' one nite, Ah even sang with 'er. She was so impressed tha' she helped me sing even bett'r. Ev'rynite we'd sing it tuhgeth'r an' then, as Ah hugged 'er tightly, she'd kiss mah forehead goodnight an' tell me, “Sweet Dreams.”
Howev'r, one day both mah parents were feelin' und'r thuh weath'r. It wasn't tha' bad at thuh moment, so they jus' shrugged it off as a common cold an' continued tuh work, but at a slow'r pace. From then on, Ah started tuh help a lot more, get thuh some work off'a their should'rs.
As time went on, mah parents became weak'r by thuh day. Ah no long'r saw 'em workin' on thuh farm. Instead, they'd be restin' in bed with a terrible fev'r an' unfortunately, we had tuh close up thuh produce stand. Thuh ponies tha' would come by tuh buy mah Ma's pastries were disappointed an' saddened tuh hear tha' my parents weren't doin' well an' came back thuh next day tuh leave gifts as well as "Get Well Soon" cards which mah parents greatly 'ppreciated. Howev'r, this mysterious disease became severe tuh thuh point tha' mah parents needed tuh go stay in thuh hospital. Ah visited 'em ev'ryday an' prayed at their bed sides fer 'em tuh get bett'r, but no matt'r how much Ah did, it didn't seem tuh work.
Sweet Apple Acres itself was in a crisis. We weren't makin' anymore bits an' thuh little amount 'a bits we do 'ave was bein' used tuh stabilize mah parents condition. Tuh make matt'rs worse, it was almost Apple Buckin' Season, an' Ah was hardly strong 'nuff tuh buck down one tree.
Ah'd come back tuh thuh hospital day aft'r day, hopin' fer 'em tuh be bett'r, but nothin' changed. Mah Ma was asleep, but mah Pa turned his head towards me.
"Macintosh?" He called tuh me, his once strong an' hearty voice was raspy and frail. Ah'd trotted ov'r tuh his side an' he looked at me with a face full of worry an' pain.
"Macintosh, yer mother an' Ah ain't doin' so well. Ah know this is askin' a lott'a ya, but we need ya tuh run thuh farm an' thuh produce stand. It'll be a tough dirt road, especially with thuh apple orchard, but Ah know ya can do it, son. Jus' rememb'r thuh way Ah showed ya how, an' you'll get thuh hang ov'it." Ah nodded mah head slowly an' he lifted a hoof tuh ruffle mah mane playfully, a waverin' smile formin' on his maw.
"Go on now, thuh nurse tol' me tha' Ah nee' mah rest."
Ah nodded mah head again, gave mah Pa a hug, an' left thuh hospital. Thuh fate 'a my family was in mah hooves now, an' Ah was determined tuh get thuh farm back up on it's hinges.
Ah galloped back tuh thuh farm an' looked at thuh condition 'a thuh crops. Just like mah parents, they were witherin' away. Ah began by removin' thuh dead crops, but struggled when Ah tried plowin' thuh large fields. It took a day an' half fer me tuh completely plow an' replant thuh seeds.
When Ah was done fer thuh day, Ah'd head on back tuh thuh farm an' Granny would greet me with eyes filled with worry, off'rin' me a glass 'a apple juice.
"Take a rest, deary." she spoke with 'er usual ol'-lady-like voice, hoarse with a hint 'a concern. "Yer gonna need it fer tuhmorrow."
Then, before Ah knew it, it was mah first harvestin' day. It was difficult at first, but Ah started tuh feel a rhythm tuh farmin', makin' it easi'r an' a lot smooth'r. Ah accumulated a lott'a wheat ov'r thuh course ov'a few weeks. Howev'r, Apple Buckin' Season was jus' a day away an' Ah wasn't nearly as ready as Ah should be. Aft'r thuh day 'a endless farmin', Ah dove intuh bed with mah face buried in mah pillow, dreadin' thuh next day tha' was 'bout tuh come.
Ah grew more nervous as Ah watched thuh sun rose, but Ah had tuh do this. Ah went tuh thuh barn tuh grab a few baskets an' placed 'em 'round thuh closest apple tree Ah saw in thuh orchard. It was a lot tall'r than me an' Ah could see thuh fruit off thuh branches, jus' waitin' fer me tuh kick 'em down. Ah faced away from thuh tree, lifted both 'a mah hind legs an' gave thuh apple tree mah strongest kick. There was a satisfyin'ly loud thump when my hooves collided with thuh trunk 'a thuh tree, an' Ah excitedly turned 'round tuh see thuh results...
Not a single apple fell from tha' tree. Ah was shocked. Ah growled an' gave thuh stubborn tree anoth'r strong buck, but thuh baskets remained fruitless. Ah kept buckin' tha' same tree ov'r an' ov'r till my hooves hurt an' Ah still didn't get one apple tuh drop. Ah felt like a failure. So Ah gave up an' aft'r Granny bandaged up mah hooves, Ah limped back tuh bed in defeat, stainin' mah pillow wet with tears till Ah fell asleep, feelin' like Ah let mah family down.
Thuh next day, Ah went back tuh thuh orchard. Thuh same empty baskets were still around thuh same apple tree tha' taunted me. Ah reared up mah hindhooves an' tried buckin' it; nothin'. An' again; nothing. By mah third try, Ah was ah'redy startin' tuh feel hopeless. Lookin' up at thuh apple tree, Ah sighed, mah ears droopin' down against mah head an' Ah turned around an' bucked it once more without even tryin'. Suddenly, Ah heard a delayed thump. Mah ears perked an' Ah whipped mah head 'round tuh see a shiny green apple in one 'a thuh baskets. Ah was so excited, Ah bucked down my first apple! Ah gave thuh tree anoth'r similar buck tuh thuh last one, an' more apples fell intuh thuh baskets. Ah happily brought those apples intuh thuh barn an' began preppin' 'em intuh apple pie fillin', starting with tha' first green apple tha' dropped fer me. An' when thuh pie was ready, Ah hurried on ov'r tuh thuh hospital tuh show mah parents. Zippin' past a few nurses an' oth'r ponies tuh get tuh thuh room tha' held 'em,
"Ma! Hey Ma!" Ah bounced excitedly with thuh pie in mah mouth, but not too much as tuh keep it intact,
"Ah made mah first apple pie!" Showin' her thuh still warm pastry, she smiled,
"Why if Ah'm not mistaken, ain't tha' mah apple pie tha' Ah made?" she joked with a giggle. Ah set thuh pie down next to 'er on thuh bed,
"Nnope! Ah made this mahself! Wan' some?" She embraced me with a tear in her eye,
"Oh Macintosh, ya make me so proud." Ah hugged fer frail body back, nuzzlin' intuh 'er side happily.
"Now's mah turn tuh give ya somethin'." She grabbed thuh corn'r 'a thuh blanket an' draped a bit ov'r on thuh sides 'a mah flank.
"Wha' is it?" Ah asked, lookin' at thuh warm cloth. She uncovered mah lower half an' on mah flank was a cutie mark tha' looked like a sliced green apple, jus' like my first apple Ah got.
"Thank ya Ma!" Ah wrapped mah hooves around 'er frail body once more.
"Ah'm gonna work on thuh farm some more, an' when ya an' Pa get bett'r, we can celebrate!" She kissed mah forehead,
"Ah'd love tuh see tha', Macintosh. Yer our last hope." Ah nodded an' went back tuh thuh farm. From then on, Ah worked as much as Ah could, day aft'r long day 'a non-stop farmin', bakin', an' cleanin'.
A few years passed an' thuh farm was doin' well with me workin'. AJ came back with a cutie mark not long aft'r Ah made tha' pie fer our Ma, so she helped lift work off'a mah shoulders. Thank goodness, 'cuz ah was gettin' real tired, howev'r, we were both still young, so she could only do as much as she could, an' Ah had tuh teach 'er how tuh farm an' later on, how tuh apple buck. As thuh years past, through sheer dedication an' hard work, mah muscles developed early an' Ah started tuh grow bigg'r an' bigg'r real fast. It was real s'pprisin' tuh me, growth spurt an' all tha' Ah s'ppose. Granny Smith tol' me tha' Ah grew even bigg'r than mah Pa,
"Ya got his same strong chin!" she would say. Ah don' really understand how a chin can be strong 'r why she'd point it out. Anyhow, point is, Ah grew a lot an' it made things mighty easi'r. Mah parents would mention tha' Ah was growin' too when Ah visited. Ah'd still visit ev'ryday, sometimes they'd get bett'r but then their condition drops back down, unfortunately.
Until one day, Ah came tuh thuh hospital like any other day. A familiar nurse, normally cheerful looked at me with a grim expression. She trotted up tuh me with a clipboard levitatin' in front 'a 'er, an' she tol' me tha' mah parents 'ave several deceases called "Equine Influenza, Anemia, an' Strangles". She tol' me tha' they became extremely unstable an' we might lose 'em any second, there's nothin' they can do now. Mah heart skipped a beat an' Ah rushed past thuh nurse ov'r tuh mah parents room, both looked at me, their faces deathly pale yet mah Ma still attempted tuh form a smile tha' seemed like it drained 'er energy jus' by doin' it. Ah hurried ov'r tuh mah Ma's side first, an' mah Pa jus' stared back at the ceilin', sighin' slowly. Ah jus' looked at 'er shriveled form, tears formin' in mah eyes, Ah couldn't do anythin' tuh save 'em. Earnin' bits an' payin' tuh keep 'em alive was all Ah could do, but now all 'a tha' effort was wasted, gone. Ah felt so powerless jus' watchin' 'em suff'r rite in front 'a me, yet mah Ma has thuh courtesy tuh smile.
"Oh Macintosh, Ah can hardly recognize ya." she wheezed out,
"Did'ja get a mane cut?" We chuckled weakly, even at this time she'd joke 'round. Ah rubbed thuh beads 'a tears off mah eyes, trying not tin sob.
"Ya've grown intuh such a big an' handsome stallion, we're so proud 'a ya, Mac." She lifted a hoof tuh feel thuh side 'a mah cheek, trailin' down tuh mah chin.
"Go on an' talk tuh yer fath'r, Ah'll be rite here." Ah nodded an' she rested 'er hoof back down, shuffling slightly to get comfortable in her bed. Trottin' ov'r tuh mah Pa's side, he turned his head with a serious yet strong gaze despite his state he's in now. He motioned his hoof tuh tell me tuh come closer, an' Ah lowered mah neck over tuh his head.
"Macintosh, yer moth'r an' Ah ain't gonna make it, so Ah nee' ya tuh be thuh stallion 'a thuh farm now, ya hear? Take care 'a yer sister's an' yer Granny Smith fer us, Ah'm gonna nee' ya tuh stay strong fer 'em, ah'rite? An' jus' rememb'r, yer moth'r an' Ah 'ill ah'ways be watchin' ov'r y'all. Ya do us proud, Mac." Ah nodded an' he ruffled mah mane playfully jus' like when Ah was a colt, lettin' out an exhausted sigh aft'rwards.
"Oh Mac?" Mah Ma called ov'r tuh me. Turnin' mah head, Ah replied, "Eeyup?"
"Ah'm feel in' mighty tired. Could'ja sing tuh us like we ah'ways would at nite when ya were lil'?"
"'A course, Ma." Ah stood in between their beds, clearin' mah throat with mah eyes closed. Ah started tuh sing thuh soft lullaby, all those nites Ah laid in bed with mah Ma singin' with 'er came tuh mind. Sweet memories 'a farmin' with mah Pa an' spendin' time with 'em flooded mah thoughts. Ah opened mah eyes tuh see mah parents lookin' at me as Ah sang mah heart out fer 'em. Tears rollin' down thuh sides 'a mah face as they listened intently. Mah Ma sighed a light content sigh as she closed 'er eyes, an' soon aft'r, so did mah Pa. But Ah kept on singin', Ah sang mah parents tuh sleep knowin' tha' they won't wake up again, thuh flat sound from their heart monitor confirmin' this. Aft'r thuh lullaby was ov'r, mah face was stained with streams 'a tears. Ah trotted tuh mah Pa first an' brought mah lips tuh his forehead, then Ah moved ov'r tuh mah Ma an' did thuh same. Hangin' mah head low, Ah trotted fer thuh door tuh leave, silently whisp'rin',
"Sweet dreams…"
Ah came back tuh thuh farm, an' told AJ, Applebloom, an' Granny thuh terrible news. They couldn't believe it; they didn't wanna believe it an' they all broke down. Ah comforted 'em as they mourned thuh loss 'a our parents. Ah had tuh be thuh strong one fer 'em now, an' no matt'r wha', Ah'll ah'ways be there fer mah family Ah 'ave left. We all continued our work on thuh farm an' attended our parents funeral, as well as oth'r relatives an' friends. From then on, we did our best tuh make Sweet Apple Acres intuh wha' it is now. A successful farm with plenty 'a business. Why, we could even afford Granny Smith tha' new hip she ah'ways wanted with 'nuff bits left tuh renovate thuh barn completely. All from workin' long days at thuh farm.
Ah still do enjoy farmin', brings back good an' sad memories. But wha' ah wan' ya tuh take from mah story is this: Enjoy thuh time ya got with yer parents now, thuh rest 'a yer family too. If ya don', then one day ya might regret not spendin' 'nuff time with 'em, 'cuz ya nev'r know when they might be gone thuh next day.
Author's Note
Fer those tha' might 'ave a hard time readin' this 'cuz 'a thuh accent, Ah apologize greatly. So fer connivence, Ah'll set up a few things tha'll help ya read an' enjoy.
Ah = I
Tuh = To
Thuh = The
'im/'er = Him/Her
An' = And
Ah'ways = Always
Ah'rite = Alright
It ain't tha' hard tuh figure out, rite? Anoth'r thing tuh point out is tha' words endin' in "-ing" 'ave thuh "g" dropped, as well as thuh "e" in words tha' end in "-er". Ah'll also be makin' an' audio file soon where ya can listen tuh me readin' thuh story fer those who still 'ave trouble. Ah got used tuh typin' like this 'cuz Ah RP a ton, it's a hassle fer when Ah gotta write pap'rs an' essays. *Chuckles*
Ah wrote this story a while ago an' it's mah first story Ah ev'r submitted fer ponies tuh read, so if Ah break any rules 'r somethin', Ah apologize in advance.
Anyhow, Ah hope y'all enjoyed thuh story. Ah don' plan on makin' a sequel since Ah made this as canon as possible. If there were tuh be more episodes 'a Big Mac, then mmaybe.
