Writers Magazine 2009

At the Edinburgh Book Festival 2009

Edinburgh snippets

Descending from Arthur’s Seat, the breeze brought me the sound of the pipes which was lost whenever the wind blew the skirl away. But it pointed me in the direction of the piper who stood in the shelter of some gorse and whitened birch trees.

Not wishing to intrude I kept my distance. But soon the languorous medley was over and the piper skipped back towards his car.

I scampered down the hill and caught him as he carefully packed the pipes away.

‘There must be a story’ I suggested.

‘No’ smiled the piper.

‘ Thank you’

We parted.

Edinburgh at Festival time calls for improvisation and some flexibility. But when a man has got to go he does not want to find the way blocked by one, two, three, four… The stream of humanity continued. Most were short, a few were tall and a couple were in-between.

Beneath their makeup these clowns were of all genders and none.

I checked the door. This was the Gents.

‘Just a moment’ said one dwarf .

The make-up lady flashed a brief smile as she followed the last one out of the smallest room.

What a relief, for all of us.

Some signs provided by www.signspotting.com displayed as a part of the Edinburgh Festival.

 © Chas Jones 2009

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