A poor mans Oscars ceremony.

 

6 months late but the new car is finally here. The colour is better than we'd feared.

The garage has one of those 'unveiling' ceremonies. These are always slightly embarrassing. In France and Italy a boom-box would play something 'lively'. Here,  the mechanics and receptionists are called in to watch as a sheet is pulled back . It is rather like a poor mans Oscars award night. Even though you know what you've ordered there is a feeling that something suitable has to be said as you catch sight of your new compact SUV.  'The Font' pipes up with 'How marvellous'. Although brief this seems to hit the right note. There are smiles all round and the youngest of the receptionists claps. She is then told to go and answer the phone.  After the ceremony everyone shakes our hands.  The salesmen are slightly better at hiding their boredom with this routine than the mechanics who stifle yawns and would clearly prefer to be back listening to the radio and talking about football. How many times a year must they go through this customer interfacing purgatory ?

In France we were always given a bottle of indifferent champagne at the end of a new car ceremony. Here the sales manager calls us to his office and presents us with an aluminium cup with a screw cap. We think it's a thermos cup but we could be wrong. It is exquisitely machined and possibly expensive but we're none the wiser what to do with it. Neither of us enjoys drinking from metal containers and twisty Scottish roads make downing coffee while driving a dangerous proposition. Are we supposed to buy some sort of liner ?  Is it really a thermos cup ?  Suggestions welcome. The young salesman tells us that we'll soon be getting a survey from the manufacturer asking about our pre-delivery experience. " It's really important " he says in a way that makes it clear his bonus and his job depend on it. We tell him we're delighted. He beams.

The new car is much smaller than the Volvo and therefore ideal for the short,  angled parking spaces in town. It is also much, much narrower which provides a surprising degree of intimacy between driver and passenger. The best thing about it is that the safety  systems don't slam on the brakes every time a bicycle comes within 50 yards. In a university town there are lots of bicycles and the Volvo was forever throwing a tantrum.

To celebrate the new arrival  we stop off at the bakers for a wholemeal loaf and a Christmas cupcake ( for Angus ).

Shetland music :https://youtu.be/RWmS5m_1irE  And for anyone in London at the end of the month the singer will be reading from his new book at St Columbas :https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/standrewsbookfestival/mallachy-tallack-colin-macintyre-harmonies-in-words-and-music/e-qybqgq

Turkeys:https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-are-urban-turkeys-thriving-180985433/

A relaxing Danish view of the wee town :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBtAYujTd6o