I stopped over to visit a several times removed cousin who lived near Portobello, a coastal suburb of Edinburgh. One evening he took me to a quite nice eating establishment with a cozy bar affording us a fair view of the Firth of Forth.
I noticed right away this strange-looking chap at the bar. Fellow wore a kilt (this was Scotland) and a tweed jacket. He held by his side a crooked walking stick on top of which perched a Tam o'shanter hat. He reminded me of a grown up elf, with a smiling face and friendly word for everyone.
"Who's that?" I asked.
"Oh, he used to live 'round here. Ages ago," my cousin replied.
Then the chap slid off the barstool and gave us all a deep bow, then called to the bartender:
"I'll be goin' now, Fred. But before I do, how's about a wee deoch an' doris--or as they say in the Colonies, 'one for the road!'"
He downed the drink in a single swallow, the out the door he went.
I could not believe the notion that popped into my mind. I had seen old photos of that chap. He was quite famous . . . and had been for a long time.
"Good Lord," I said, choking up in disbelief. "I must be seeing things. I must be delirious. That can't be he!"
My cousin grinned from ear to ear, clapped me on the shoulder and said with a laugh, "Oh but it is, me laddie. It most certainly is!"
I noticed right away this strange-looking chap at the bar. Fellow wore a kilt (this was Scotland) and a tweed jacket. He held by his side a crooked walking stick on top of which perched a Tam o'shanter hat. He reminded me of a grown up elf, with a smiling face and friendly word for everyone.
"Who's that?" I asked.
"Oh, he used to live 'round here. Ages ago," my cousin replied.
Then the chap slid off the barstool and gave us all a deep bow, then called to the bartender:
"I'll be goin' now, Fred. But before I do, how's about a wee deoch an' doris--or as they say in the Colonies, 'one for the road!'"
He downed the drink in a single swallow, the out the door he went.
I could not believe the notion that popped into my mind. I had seen old photos of that chap. He was quite famous . . . and had been for a long time.
"Good Lord," I said, choking up in disbelief. "I must be seeing things. I must be delirious. That can't be he!"
My cousin grinned from ear to ear, clapped me on the shoulder and said with a laugh, "Oh but it is, me laddie. It most certainly is!"
