The ponies exited the graveyard, all depressed from their lost loved-one. Winter Twister waited for all of them to pass before entering the graveyard himself. He walked over to the area the ponies just were, the grave showing the signs of the funeral.

Winter was wearing a saddle bag, and removed it and laid it next to him and read the grave marker 'Here Lies Cherr Yale, Teacher, Husband, Father.' and then bowed his head in respect. Winter didn't go to the scheduled funeral session because he didn't know Cherr Yale enough to join his family and friends in a time like this.

The sun was setting, Winter started remembering Cherr Yale as he was when he was alive. Strict, but funny teacher who demanded respect in a society that has little to give. Winter liked all of his teachers, but Cherr Yale was a teacher that even though others made fun of him outside the classroom, he never agreed or joined the conversations.

Cherr Yale was a very intelligent stallion that always walked a slow but powerful pace, never in a hurry to go anywhere unless it was very important, and had great enthusiasm to his teaching that most students adored. He was also a stallion with a short fuse, when there were people in the hallways of the school disobeying rules, or in his classroom, he would personally give them a loud lecture on what they were doing wrong. Nopony could say anything against it because regardless of how loud he was, he was never wrong. Cherr Yale has inspired Winter, he was an ex-alcoholic who almost drank himself to death daily, but he had overcome his thirst for being an alcoholic. His wide knowledge of stuff left Winter in awe and always wanting to learn more.

Winter brought up his head to stare at the grave again, now remembering a normal day in class.

In the classroom, Winter got every joke that Cherr Yale told and laughed along with him and some of the class never got them. Cherr Yale had become a father figure to Winter because his father was normally away from home, a traveler.

Cherr Yale was also the coach for the hoofball team and was the best coach Winter ever had. Yelling at the slightest mistake to anyone, helping them improve and become better athletes. Cherr Yale had retired from being a coach, and when he retired so did Winter's love for the sport; no coach could replace him. Winter grew tired of the sport quickly and quit the team. Cherr Yale had told all of his students not to continue to call him coach, everypony quickly got out the habit, but Winter had continued to call him coach regardless of his request.

Each day Winter always looked forward to Cherr Yale's class, eager to learn something new from the teacher who always surprised Winter.

One day Winter Twister heard news about Cherr Yale, he had passed away over the weekend from natural causes. He didn't cry because he didn't know him very well, but he did cry because of his respect for the great stallion.

Winter Twister reached into his bag and pulled out two objects, one an empty glass, the other a cherry rose. He sighed and slowly put the glass up-side-down on the grave over the area of the ground where Cherr Yale's left hoof would have been, and set the cherry rose on the ground where the right hoof would have been.

Winter Twister sniffled, and picked up his bag and returned it to his back and then bowing once more.

"Later coach." Winter left the grave, leaving no sign that he was there other than the glass, the rose, and the wet patch of grass where he stood.