The Lone Piper

Yesterday I attended the funeral of a lady who died aged 100, the scion of a family I know over 4 generations. There are many similarities with my own family, not least an excellent sense of humour which extends not just to droll witticisms but making random events and personalities amusing.

On arrival I encountered a man somewhat incongruously dressed in a blue T-shirt, kilt and white bootees. Someone asked who he was. He replied that he was the Lone Piper commissioned for the funeral and as if to prove the point emerged again with his bagpipes.

He also said he was an undercover detective nicknamed Stan. Quite how undercover you can be dressed in full regalia and announcing your other job on introduction I do not know.

The piper, who played very well, was a source of much amusement after the event. It transpired he was the local mayor too.

The various grandchildren and son who spoke at the service exactly caught the spirit of the lady. We agreed she would have approved of the service.

Most of all she would have been the first to laugh long and hard at the Lone Piper.