{"sf1_id":408891,"sf2_id":"7ejgZDrm","title":"There's A New Horse In Town: Let's Do Lunch","author":"Claymore","words":781,"posted_at":"2012-07-28T19:36:00.000Z","tags":["Anthro","Clydesdale","Equine","Horse"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/408891-there-s-a-new-horse-in-town-let-s-do-lunch","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/7ejgZDrm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/21/44/2144c6d9-fb82-41a3-8fb3-ccbf427c3600","description":"A couple of horse anthros continue getting acquainted.","content":"Let's Do Lunch\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Fidgeting with the pencil, Claymore stared at the drawing on his sketch pad.\u0026nbsp; The latch design he'd come up with was workmanlike, but it was missing panache.\u0026nbsp; Although he had the pragmatism typical of a Clydesdale, Clay was also something of an artist at the anvil, and 'plain' just didn't suit his style.\u0026nbsp; Part of the reason for his shop's modest growth was the fact that his work both looked good and worked well.\u0026nbsp; He was scratching a few more lines on the page when his cell phone jangled suddenly.  \n  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\"Hay, this is Clay, can I help you?\" he neighed after flipping open his phone.\u0026nbsp; The interruption was especially welcome when he heard the caller's voice.\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, Kimi!\u0026nbsp; How ya doin'?\u0026nbsp; No, no, not a problem, glad to talk to you.\u0026nbsp; I'm just doodling with a design right now.\u0026nbsp; What's up?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Leaning back in the ancient wooden desk chair, Clay swiveled to put his hind hooves up on the desk.\u0026nbsp; His mood, though slightly perturbed by the drawing's lack of progress, instantly relaxed as he listened to the young stallion.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He rocked back and forth in the creaking oak chair, snorting and twitching his ears as the two made small talk.\u0026nbsp; At one point his ears perked suddenly forward.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, I'm glad to hear that, and yeah, I drink an occasional beer,\" Clay said, nickering softly and without a trace of irony; he might as well have called the Monogahela River a pretty good sized ditch.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, listen that sounds good, you want me to meet ... oh, sure no problem.\u0026nbsp; Pick me up at the diner then.\u0026nbsp; I'll see you Sunday morning at eleven!\"   \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Closing the phone, the Clydesdale sat upright in his chair.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't often that he had plans for a Sunday morning, and the prospect had livened him up a bit.\u0026nbsp; After Brad had left town last year, he just hadn't felt much like socializing and besides -- Crawford Corners wasn't exactly known for its anthro population.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; A picnic on Sunday sounded like a great way to get a little better acquainted.\u0026nbsp; \"Although,\" Clay mused quietly to himself, \"things are gonna go a little differently this time around.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Sunday dawned bright and cloudless, a perfect midsummer morning that was only just warming up as Clay settled on the bench outside the Home Cookin' Kitchen.\u0026nbsp; He sipped his coffee, glancing at his watch and noting he was early.\u0026nbsp; A moment later a beeping horn caught his attention, and he waved at the driver.\u0026nbsp; \"Figures,\" he thought, smiling as Kimi parked, \"one of those 'green' cars that's easy on the environment.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Clay, good morning!\" Kimi nickered, laughing a little as he got out of his car and waved.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm not late, am I? Gosh, I hope you haven't been waiting long!\"\u0026nbsp; Dressed in faded jeans and a casual, brightly coloured shirt open at the collar, the horse looked like he was dressed to go to class.\u0026nbsp; His walk was jaunty as he stepped over the Clyde, who rose to greet him.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"No, I'm early Kimi, and I just got here, thanks.\u0026nbsp; Only had time to get my coffee and sit down.\"\u0026nbsp; Reaching out his hand, Clay shrugged and held out his arms for a hug instead.\u0026nbsp; \"Might as well get this over with,\" he teased, a pretend scowl twisting on his muzzle.\u0026nbsp; \"Just don't expect any kissin', bub, I'm not... .\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Laughing as he gave the Clyde a gentle hug, Kimi snorted.\u0026nbsp; \"Not what?\u0026nbsp; Friendly and a decent stallion?\u0026nbsp; And by the way, too late!\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Too late for what?\" Clay blustered.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"This,\" Kimi neighed, pecking Clay lightly on the side of his muzzle.\u0026nbsp; \"Now, how's about you show that picnic spot you told me about, Mr. Tough Stallion?\" \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What?\" Clay bellowed, followed by a booming laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"What the heck?\u0026nbsp; Hay, I told ya, I don't need anybody talking about me in this little burg, wise guy.\"\u0026nbsp; He shook his head, trying to remove the rosy shade he knew his cheeks were turning.\u0026nbsp; He gave the horse a quick pat on the withers before releasing him with a soft neigh.  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, you said they're already talking, so now they have something to say.\u0026nbsp; Problem?\" Kimi teased, quoting one of those stupid yet catchy Internet memes. \u0026nbsp;  \n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Um, sure, 'Y U NO PAY ATTENTION,'\" Clay chuckled, doing the best he could with what he knew about popular memes.\u0026nbsp; \"That's gonna cost you, and I expect payment in BEER!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n  \n\n"}