[ happy hour ]

[almosthonorable]

Ben’s behind the bar tonight; he’s been more coaxed than coerced - as evidenced by the impressive herd of My Little Ponies littering the counter.

Opportunist that he is, he may as well entertain himself while he’s here.

He turns to the specials board, smirking to himself as he scribbles:Name a pony

Comments

[hadyougoing]

"Hey!" Ava says brightly, before her attention is diverted rapidly to the ponies and the sign.

Then she just starts snickering.

[almosthonorable]

Ava gets a slow-spreading smile.

"Evenin', Sparkle-head."

He's waiting for the inevitable dig; knowing Ava, whatever's about to come out of her mouth will be gold.

[hadyougoing]

"That's my least favorite nickname," she complains, although: wearing the silver headband.

She glances to the ponies and starts to grin again.

"So, uh, is this a midlife crisis thing for cowboys?"

[almosthonorable]

"Well, that would depend, Little Miss Irony."

He leans one elbow on the bar, forgoing his half-built swizzle-stick stable for the time being.

"What's a mid-life crisis?"

[hadyougoing]

Ava's smile brightens at the use of the clearly totally correct nickname.

Then it slips a little into something more amused.

"Welllll. As far as I know, it's when guys realize they're starting to lose their hair and then get this overwhelming urge to quit their jobs and buy red sports cars."

[almosthonorable]

Ben appears to mull over this.

After a moment, he lifts the black hat from his head to run his fingers through his hair.

"I'm not worried about goin' bald yet," he says, seemingly satisfied. "I like my job, and cars are a long way off from my side of the door."

By this logic, the My Little Ponies are the product of Shits and Giggles.

[hadyougoing]

She grins.

"Good to know," she says.

"I'd be seriously disappointed in you if you quit your day job. Actually ... you're probably what other dudes midlife crisis to."

[almosthonorable]

Ben chortles.

"Should I be impressed or appalled over here?"

[hadyougoing]

"Impressed," Ava says. Duh!

"Totally impressed. Do you want the ponies' actual names, or new names?"

[almosthonorable]

Ben grins.

"Bona fide, grade-A originals, please."

[hadyougoing]

Ava considers this daunting task as she takes a seat at the Bar.

"Hmmm."

The ponies are eyed.

"I think you've gotta name one Horsefeathers. If someone hasn't already said that."

[almosthonorable]

"Horsefeathers, huh?"

He squints at a couple of prime candidates.

"Any particular reason, or you just have a good feelin'?"

[hadyougoing]

Ava grins, though it's a duh kind of grin.

"Uhhh, My Little Ponies are whimsical. And some of them definitely had feathers, I remember!"

[almosthonorable]

"They are that," Ben says, with a matter-of-fact nod.

"Horsefeathers it is."

He gestures to the veritable herd on the counter.

"Now, the real question is, which one gets christened?"

[hadyougoing]

Ava frowns a moment in thought.

Then she smiles, and points at a pale blue one with a white mane and tail.

"That one."

[almosthonorable]

Ben plucks up Horsefeathers, studying the pony from all possible angles, much like a prospective buyer circling the auction block.

At considerable length, he puts down the horse.

"Seventy-five percent off for you, Miss Ava."