Monday December 15th, 2008

The exercise:

The countdown continues. Today's starter is: eleven pipers piping.

Mine:

Ten men and one woman entered the auditorium from the door to the right of the stage as the chattering turned to whispers and then were hushed and shushed to silence. Peter picked up the bagpipe that was situated at the far left of the platform and the remainder of the band took up their positions, ending with Paul at the far right.

Paula, standing proudly in the middle of the assembled pipers, played the very first note of the very first song. Paddy joined in next with a flourish before Pablo added his pipes to the medley. The well dressed spectators gave a roar of approval when Patrick and Phil blasted two prolonged notes in unison at the crescendo of the first performance.

After the final note of that song had faded into the night, four pipers had not blown even once. They had listened, as though they were in the audience, not making a move or a sound. But as one they played the first note of the second song and none watching could tell which note came from Percy or Pascal, and they would have sworn Pierre and Paris played the same pipe!

The plethora of pipers played long into the night and when the pipes had blown their last, well that audience gave them an ovation that lasted until morning! Just as the sun peeked over the horizon outside the pipers, having absorbed their due, exited stage left with smiles on their faces and pints in their hands, until only the lonely bagpipes themselves were left behind. And there they waited for the next piping performance, predicted to be pretty soon… but not nearly soon enough.