Odd things happening

Some very odd things have been happening lately in my life. I don't know about you ... how could I know about you? I have never met you. Some odd things may well have been happening to you too. Perhaps you would tell me about them and we'd compare notes. Maybe odd things are happening all over the world and we don't know about them because we don't share them.

Anyway ...

There are times in life when one thing leads to another and another and they all get entangled with each other and I seem to have no control of events. Does that ever happen to you?

Take the other day for instance. It was about two o'clock in the morning, or should I say at night, because it was dark out there.

I was peacefully rehearsing playing the bagpipes at home when suddenly there was loud banging at the door and continuous ringing of the door bell as if it was pandemonium out there. I stopped playing the bagpipes and rushed to open the door. I did not want to wake the family with all that noise going on.

I don't know why, instinct I suppose, but before I opened the door I got hold of a large butterfly net I keep by the door. It is always there in case I have to catch the wife escaping to the shops. She's always going to the shops. Women do that apparently; but let's not go there ... I mean the subject ... as well as the shops of course. We'll leave that discussion for another day. Unless you wish to comment about it of course. Who am I to argue? We'll discuss the shops if you wish ...

Anyway, butterfly net in hand, I opened the door. It was my neighbour still ringing the door bell angrily.

"What is all that noise in the middle of the night?" he asked threateningly.

"It is you banging at the door and ringing the door bell!" I replied, "you're making all the noise."

"Not that ..." he shouted, "all that bagpipe playing. What's all that about?"

"I was practising playing 'Scotland the Brave' ", I said.

"And why have you got a net?" he asked.

"Annette? I haven't got Annette here. Only my wife and the family. They are all asleep, unless you woke them up with all your banging at the door. Who is Annette anyway?" I asked him.

He pointed at the net I was holding. "Oh ..." I said, "I thought you were my wife going shopping! Would you like a drink? I have some whisky inside."

He came in for a drink and advised me that I was playing the bagpipes out of tune. He revealed his family was from Scotland and offered to show me how to play.

About half-an-hour later there was a lot of banging on the door once again and the door bell ringing furiously. I left my neighbour playing the bagpipes and rushed to open the door before my family woke up because of the noise.

It was the police. Two policemen stood there and said that the neighbours, presumably different to the neighbour I had with me right now, had phoned them to say I was playing out of tune. They said I was playing 'Scotland the Brave' all wrong, and if I wanted to they could show me how to do it correctly because they were both from Scotland. Who would have thought it? What a coincidence to have three people from Scotland in Glasgow. My neighbour and now these two policemen. What are the odds of this happening, I asked myself, and got no answer.

Anyway, they came in and as I had a set of drums too they joined in trying to get 'Scotland the Brave' played properly on the bagpipes and drums.

With three bagpipes and a set of drums we made quite a band playing a variety of Scottish songs and tunes. It was soon morning when I gave them haggis for breakfast and they left promising to return for another session soon.

The funny thing about all this, is that the family did not wake up throughout. I found out later that they were all out shopping at the "24 Hours" mall.

If you have never visited Scotland, I suggest you do. It is just beautiful up there.