[lit-ideas] Re: A timely warning
- From: David Ritchie <profdritchie@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:59:30 -0800
On Jan 25, 2014, at 1:01 AM, Donal McEvoy wrote:
>
> >Plan to steer clear of unpierced haggis.>
>
> Go wild. Avoid the untatooed ones too.
>
> Dnl
>
>
> On Saturday, 25 January 2014, 8:14, John McCreery <john.mccreery@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> The tux is on. The tartan crumb-catcher in place. Must leave a bit early to
> pick up a bottle of Talisker on the way. Plan to steer clear of unpierced
> haggis.
>
> John
>
Our Burns night avoids much of the standard stuff. If I tried to offer a
"toast to the ladies," I'd be eviscerated with the haggis pin. We taste new
Scottish beers (this year's were not so much "wee heavies" as Caterpillars,
monstrous earth moving things). We eat home-made haggis (not mine) neeps and
tatties, I read a poem or two, then comes the beef and veg. My equivalent of
"the immortal memory" is a discussion of something new I've discovered about
the man; this year was an episode in his career as an excise man.
We had our supper early this year, to take advantage of my father's visit.
About to be ninety, he did a fabulous turn with the haggis. I asked if he
wanted to be reminded of the words. "No," he said, "I know it." And of course
he does. In times past when he has addressed the haggis I've not enjoyed the
performance completely; one or another thing was wrong. This year, no such
reaction. I sat and listened and thought, "Well done, Dad. I hope I got those
genes."
The beef was overdone by my standards, but perfect for his. The rest of the
evening was equally not about me. I asked everyone to say something about the
year that had passed since last we sat down together to eat. Often I dislike
such "going round the table" talk. There was too much of it when we lived in
California. Often I think, "get to the main business, the point." Not this
time. Everyone had interesting things to say. And everyone was happy. Which
*is* the point.
Here's tae us, wha's like us?
David Ritchie,
Portland, Oregon
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