Upon stepping out into the street this morning at about 8 am, I saw out of the corner of my eye a person walking up Great Western Road, towards St Mary’s wearing not a stitch of clothing.
She walked with quite a determined gait and then disappeared into a sidestreet.
She did not come to the early mass.
Lady Godiva? We never get anything near so interesting here in Oakville…maybe a man out without rubbers on his shoes, or a woman wearing white after Labour Day. Or, very rare indeed, a couple walking without Starbucks coffee and yoga mats.
But naked? Nope. Never.
I think that the fact that I have mentioned it here probably is the clue that it is not a common occurance in these parts either.
It made me think again about John Major’s observation about Britain:
“Fifty years on from now, Britain will still be the country of long shadows on cricket grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers and pools fillers and, as George Orwell said, ‘Old maids bicycling to holy communion through the morning mist’ and, if we get our way, Shakespeare will still be read even in school.”
Well, that sort of thing never used to happen on the South Side! Must be a mixture of trendy West Endie-ism and global warming!
I think I would have reached for the cope and gone after her (or in your case, sent a female colleague). Even in the trendy West End that story speaks to me more of trouble and misery than liberation.
Lets get our priorities right.
So long as she wasn’t wearing brown shoes………………..
Enjoyed your previous (Maupinesque!) Tales of the City and think making a regular feature of recounting your Carrie Bradshaw style adventures would be a lot of fun.
John Major’s observation seems English. But in Scotland?
John – what South Side?
Kimberly – I too wondered if all was well, and had I been near enough I would have enquired. However, from what I could see, the person did not appear particularly troubled.
Pam – she only needs Black Shoes if she is going to sing in the choir or serve in the sanctuary.
Ryan – I think that I should probably deny that I have Carrie Bradshaw style adventures but wonder whether that denial will be believed.
Brian – I know what you mean. The lack of naked people in John Major’s vision does speak of England rather than Scotland, going on my experience. People in England (and North Americans) often muddle up England and Britain.
You do realize that North America includes all of Latin America down to the Isthmus of Panama, right?
Or do they teach that same squirrelly geography in Scotland which MP was taught in England?
Oh, I was just trying to include the Canadians.
You have to include the Canadians, don’t you?
Canada must never been forgotten. As I was reminded on Sunday when the serving team included three North Americans, including a Canadian.
When asked, my forthcoming holiday is to North America, because if I said America, some would have equated that to the USofA only – which is only part of my Fall Vacation (already lapsed into the relevant terminology).
Some of us would argue that Canada is to the US as Scotland is to England. It might also explain why, early one morning, on the streets of Toronto a man was seen bicycling along wearing nothing but his bicycle. Worryingly, it was not summer.
Associating Kelvin’s original post with Mary-Cate’s recent response….
Some may say that Kelvin’s observation on Sunday was not during the summer. Mind you did we have a summer this year?
On a Canadian theme, following Kate’s recent posting on her blog led me to 25 Signs You May Be Canadian. I am not, but having visited the country quite a few times, I can relate to the sentiment.
When you speak of Europeans, you are referring to the citizens of which nation? Oh, that is right, a European could be anyone who is a citizen of any of the countries of Europe.
Some folks forget that that is also true for the Americas. All of us who are citizens of one of the nations of North or South America, are Americans. I am a citizen of the United Mexican States, a Mexican, but I am also an American because my country is in North America, the 3rd largest in fact.
The South Side of Glasgow Kelvin!
What? It has a South Side then?
Squawk!! Hello? Map of the city, big wet river thing, down a bit, Burrell Collection, Ibrox, St Ninian’s… that bit. You know, terra icognita, “Here be dragons”, places where curates like Kimberly, Kenny, me and Dick Holloway were trained. There is a world beyond Cathedrals!
Enjoy the hols btw!