Dave and Vinny: Mindfulness

Tales from the Rampant Horse

The Rampant Horse was in full flow that Friday evening. The air was thick with the scent of ale, cheap aftershave, and the lingering whiff of fried food from the kitchen. The jukebox was playing an old rock song at just the right volume to be ignored, and the usual crowd were in full Friday night banter mode.

At the bar, Dave and Vinny sat with their pints, as they always did. Dave, slightly red in the face from his earlier argument with Carol about leaving his muddy boots in the hallway, and Vinny, bachelor, carefree, and forever clad in a coat that looked like it had seen off several winters.

“I tell you, Vin, mindfulness is the way forward,” Dave said, tapping his temple with a finger. “It’s about being in the moment. Reducing stress. Proper thinking.”

Vinny took a slow sip of his pint as his mental wheels cogitated his best friends latest nonsense. “Mindfulness? That one of them new diets, is it?”

Dave sighed. “No, it’s about being present. Living in the now. It’s meant to stop you worrying about stuff you can’t control. Let me put it in terms you might understand. Mindfulness is just like drinking a pint. You don’t rush it, you don’t think about the next one, you just sit there and really appreciate the cold, golden beauty of what’s in front of you. Feel the weight of the glass, taste the hops, and be fully present in that moment.”