Coronation

Dave & Vinny

Few things get the inhabitants of the Longcroft Estate excited. The upcoming coronation of King Charles certainly had no effect upon them. Granted there were a few tattered flags fluttering in the breeze in some of the far corners of the estate but these had been up a long time and we're more due to a misplaced sense of patriotism than a show of fielty to our jug eared wannabe overlord.

The night before the coronation Vinny enjoyed his usual stroll to the Rampant Horse. Upon entering he was pleased to see Dave had their usual table. He was less pleased to see Dave waving an empty pint glass at him. He sighed and walked up to the bar. He did a double take. Something was off. It took him a moment.

"Ken why do you have a union jack on the bar?"

It was a pathetic little flag on a stand and it drooped.

"Don't you start."

Conversation over, Ken poured two of the usual. Vinny paid and wandered over to Dave.

"Bugger me I believe Ken is getting into the spirit of the coronation."

"I know Vin, it's quite disconcerting really."

"I'll bloody say."

"There's worse. He's doing coronation chicken sandwiches."

"I swear Dave that I'll never eat chicken Ken's fingers have been near."

"I think your opinion is a popular one. I bet the Darts team will eat them though."

"That lot would eat deep fried cockroach. Greedy bastards."

The sipped their pints.

"I don't envy Charley boy all he has because..."

Dave gestured around the pub.

"He'll never have this. He can't just pop in here and see old friends."

"You have a point. He'll never know a friend is real or just interested in him for his money and status. Imagine having people being nice to you and agreeing with every word you say."

"And that's a problem you'll never have Vinny being the argumentative bastard that you are."

"Get a round in Dave you gobshite."

The pomp and ceremony of the coronation came and went. Ken's little flag quietly disappeared. Nothing changed in the Rampant Horse - just how the regulars liked it.

© Darren Sant 2023