Musings from the Merse
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
This is borrowed from Flickr -thank you G w Clark. He is not the Princes Street Mendicant although I am concerned by the presence of a wee dog-see previous posts.
As GNER was leaving Waverley Street Station yesterday afternoon I had a glimpse of a piper ( a Major at least) in full regalia in the car park-staring fixedly ahead. Perhaps he could not remember where he had left his car. I did not recognise his tartan-certainly not MacDonald's or indeed Liitle Chef.
He had no pipes. Smoking is now entirely banned throughout the precincts of WSS. Perhaps the same applies to the skirl of the pipes?
Noise Abatement Act (Cap.6 Holyrood 2007)
Or : 'Committing a nuisance in a Public Place. ASB Control Orders.Piper Exclusion Zones (Cap 786. Holyrood 2006)
Or possibly he wasn't a Pipe Major-just the formidable Doorman from the Waverley Hotel. ( A Surrey man I believe-it could have been the Leatherhead plaid)
04)
Yes it's wonderful what you can see from the train!
Oh Fat Pipe Major whom nobody loves
Why do you head for your car in gloves?
Humming a tune, oh Heavens Above
I have forgotten my pipes, I am losing my touch
Why do you head for your car in gloves?
Missing so much and so much?
?
Contrite apologies to Frances Cornford
As GNER was leaving Waverley Street Station yesterday afternoon I had a glimpse of a piper ( a Major at least) in full regalia in the car park-staring fixedly ahead. Perhaps he could not remember where he had left his car. I did not recognise his tartan-certainly not MacDonald's or indeed Liitle Chef.
He had no pipes. Smoking is now entirely banned throughout the precincts of WSS. Perhaps the same applies to the skirl of the pipes?
Noise Abatement Act (Cap.6 Holyrood 2007)
Or : 'Committing a nuisance in a Public Place. ASB Control Orders.Piper Exclusion Zones (Cap 786. Holyrood 2006)
Or possibly he wasn't a Pipe Major-just the formidable Doorman from the Waverley Hotel. ( A Surrey man I believe-it could have been the Leatherhead plaid)
04)
Yes it's wonderful what you can see from the train!
Oh Fat Pipe Major whom nobody loves
Why do you head for your car in gloves?
Humming a tune, oh Heavens Above
I have forgotten my pipes, I am losing my touch
Why do you head for your car in gloves?
Missing so much and so much?
?
Contrite apologies to Frances Cornford
Labels: Beggar and wee dog, Mendicant Pipers
Monday, May 28, 2007
He who Pays the Piper-is in a tiny minority
A quick trip to Embra this morning to pass over more specie to the dentist but at least he makes undergoing a filling an enjoyable experience.
En route down Princes Street I checked up on the former mendicant and his wee dog whom I last saw a month ago selling the Big Issue and with no sign of a begging bowl. I thought then what an improved sense of self esteem he must have holding down a job and no longer dependent on hand outs from passers by. Stuff self esteem it appears. Begging brings in the Bucks. So it is out with the bowl. And has also requisitioned the coat he had previously given to the wee dog; the latter had to make do with a tatty blanket.
The Mendicant Piper was apparently having a bad day. On my way West he was desperately trying to prise heavy metal out of a group of Japanese?/ Chinese? tourists all clicking away with their digitals. With this smart push button technology it is possible to shoot with one hand and cover your more sensitive ear with the other-at least you then get 'A Scottish Soldier' mixed with the 'Bonnie Bonnie Banks' abominably murdered in mono rather than stereo. The MP just did not get it-had he stopped at the first wince they would have paid him handsomely out of sheer relief. But he soldiered on with his entire Medley and drove them out of sight or at least out of earshot-across the road just about covers it
When I returned. He had gone. And so had the Beggar and his dog from their pitch outside Jenners exactly opposite. Perhaps they work in cahoots-the piper drives the tourists across the Princes Street to escape the caterwauling of the MP. They then express their relief by topping up the bowl with large denominations(and pat the dog)
Later they meet in the pub and enjoy splitting the proceeds.
So perhaps not such a bad day after all.
A quick trip to Embra this morning to pass over more specie to the dentist but at least he makes undergoing a filling an enjoyable experience.
En route down Princes Street I checked up on the former mendicant and his wee dog whom I last saw a month ago selling the Big Issue and with no sign of a begging bowl. I thought then what an improved sense of self esteem he must have holding down a job and no longer dependent on hand outs from passers by. Stuff self esteem it appears. Begging brings in the Bucks. So it is out with the bowl. And has also requisitioned the coat he had previously given to the wee dog; the latter had to make do with a tatty blanket.
The Mendicant Piper was apparently having a bad day. On my way West he was desperately trying to prise heavy metal out of a group of Japanese?/ Chinese? tourists all clicking away with their digitals. With this smart push button technology it is possible to shoot with one hand and cover your more sensitive ear with the other-at least you then get 'A Scottish Soldier' mixed with the 'Bonnie Bonnie Banks' abominably murdered in mono rather than stereo. The MP just did not get it-had he stopped at the first wince they would have paid him handsomely out of sheer relief. But he soldiered on with his entire Medley and drove them out of sight or at least out of earshot-across the road just about covers it
When I returned. He had gone. And so had the Beggar and his dog from their pitch outside Jenners exactly opposite. Perhaps they work in cahoots-the piper drives the tourists across the Princes Street to escape the caterwauling of the MP. They then express their relief by topping up the bowl with large denominations(and pat the dog)
Later they meet in the pub and enjoy splitting the proceeds.
So perhaps not such a bad day after all.
Labels: Beggar and wee dog, Embra, Mendicant Piper
