Dave and Vinny: A Pint of Self-Care

Tales from the Rampant Horse

The Rampant Horse was as it always was on a Wednesday evening: not too busy, not too quiet, and smelling faintly of damp and stale pies. The Longcroft Estate’s only pub was a haven for the regulars, an escape from the humdrum chaos of life, and a place, perhaps, to escape the wife. The banter was sharp, unfiltered, and often inappropriate.
Dave and Vinny were parked in their usual spot, a scuffed table near the dartboard. Scraps, Vinny’s scruffy terrier, was curled under the table, snoozing amid the faint clatter of pint glasses and laughter.

“Right, Vinny,” Dave began, leaning back in his chair. He had the satisfied air of a man who had just discovered an important topic. “I’ve been reading about self-care.”

Vinny glanced up from his pint, an expression of mock concern settling on his face. “Have you? That’s a worrying development. Let’s have your nuggets of wisdom then.”
“Very funny,” Dave replied, sipping his lager. “No, I’m serious. It’s about looking after yourself. Taking time for… you know… your mental health.”

Vinny snorted. “Taking time for your mental health? That’s what you were doing last Friday when I found you in a kebab shop at 2am wearing a traffic cone as a hat?”