See Eagles! by Michael Meighan
It was just the start of another ordinary day in the West. Alan and I had started early from Dingwall to get to Barvas on Skye to carry out some training for the directors of the Community land buy-out there.
We got to Barvas and after some small diversions arrived at the community office which, with some re-arrangement would serve as a training room. There was no-one around so we hung about and had a smoke till, in about 10 minutes, Roddy arrived round the corner to greet us.
The door being opened we got in and started to set up as the rest of the 6 participants arrived. Is such and such coming? Oh I don’t know. I’ll give him a ring. Did anyone get milk? I’ll just go up and get some then. Has anyone done anything about lunch? Oh I don’t know. I’ll have to see.
The second last arrived and we got going, closing the door which opened directly on to the stone yard of the steading. As normally the last arrives just as you are starting, he did. We couldn’t get the door open.
Not our place to interfere but four strong men couldn’t do it. 'This way Lachy. No, No, push! Let me try’ It had closed on the latch and couldn’t be opened from the outside. We were in a quandary and there was consideration given to breaking open the door. 'John. Just pass the key through the window till we see’ I said. The key was duly passed and the door duly opened. Embarrassment was glossed over and we attempted to get going.
We managed to work till lunch when an enormous plate of sausages on rolls arrived on a tray. While we were about to re-start a little girl appeared round the corned of the steading pursued by two little lambs which took the opportunity of the open door to rush in and round the floor hotly pursued by the girl, in the process scattering papers, chairs and books. It took us some time to shepherd the lambs out and regain the room for our own use. While we got going again I enquired about the ownership of the lambs which turned out to be future lunch as they were heading for the shipping container slaughterhouse right up against the steading wall. We had just eaten their siblings. Very nice too!
Right oh. So were in full flow and making progress when there was a knock at the door. Everyone looked with trepidation at the door as it was forcibly screeched open. There was Mr and Mrs English birdwatcher complete with binoculars. ‘I’m awfully sorry’, he said nervously on looking round the assembled group ‘Is this where we see the sea eagles?’
Just another day in the West.
