Yesterday was my birthday. One present was a subscription to a certain sports channel so I could see the Bayern Munich v Aberdeen game. Some might think since the result was 5-1 to Bayern Munich it wasn’t exactly the most affirming present. But we know our limitations – and live with them, albeit with grudged humility. Anyway, phoning up to arrange said subscription the service person asked for my exact name and title as on my card. It was the Rev that piqued up the conversation. What church? What College? Theology – very interesting she said. ‘Is that about God?’ I said yes. She said ‘I think God’s dead interesting’ I said, ‘God tends to be’. A few minutes later our deal was concluded, my details processed, and that was that. But I hope she goes on finding God interesting.
Then walking along the street I passed four musicians setting up their pitch to do some buskering. Spoke briefly to wish them a good day – only one of them had enough English to have a conversation. They were from Eastern Europe, and had brought with them their horn, a trumpet, a trombone and another brass instrument I didn’t recognise. By the time I came past again 10 minutes later they were playing a beautiful version of Ave Maria – outside the Rangers shop! I gave them a second donation, and grinned all the way back to the car. Multicultural Scotland doing its own wee bit to erode by muscial stealth the hard edges of a sectarianism often enough expressed in music of a quite other kind.
Left my keys at the Gateway cafe in the University. When I went back for them, it was explained that I forgot them because, and I quote, ‘Ye were too busy yappin’. I gently suggested that was a bit harsh so she rephrased it, ‘You were indulging in facetious conversation, then!’ Aye probably I was. But I love a world where in the space of a day, God is interesting, music undermines prejudice, and somebody knows me well enough to affectionately insult me, both in the vernacular and in overdeveloped discourse. And the chai tea latte was superb.
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