THE ICING ON THE CAKE

It's Monday 17th July and my final day in Edinburgh for a while before I fly to Dublin - another absolutely glorious day in this city where no-one takes the sun for granted... Believe it or not, I have actually become browner from two days of busking in the rare Scottish sunshine than I was in my last few months in India - strange but true!! Anyways, I'm running like a mad thing around town all morning trying to do last minute tasks, and am suprised come 1 p.m when I find a couple of spare hours in which to busk. It's a perfect day to frequent the Middle Meadow Walk, and I rock up just in time to catch the end of the construction workers' lunchbreak - I had promised them on Friday that I would learn 'How Much is that Doggie in the Window' for them today... he he... I don't disappoint and they go back to work happy.

The sun shines on. An old friend that I had no way of getting in touch with chances upon my perch and goes to fetch homemade elderflower cordial and wild cherries for our nourishment; also a shirt he had been making for me seven months ago - it's amazing when he comes back bearing so many gifts. Another friend passes by, beauteous dreadlocks gleaming in the sun. He sits and dreams and eats his lunch to my sounds as babies are strolled by, dogs are let loose and students bask on their lunchbreaks. I sing to this Monday crowd and yet another friend comes to join us... it's idyllic. Imagine if life could be like this every day! I'm amazed... and it's with great reluctance that I pack up at 3.50 p.m to go and meet a friend. There's a gathering to be planned for tonight...

Later on we eat so well, my old workmates gathering together to cook organic food and give me yet another 'welcome back AND farewell again' dinner. Mung beans, Yucca, salad, dahl, curry and rice... organic gin and ginger ale... Italian beer... me and my black guitar as always at Leire's house in the city where we sit and drink and reminisce. It's so good to celebrate this wonderful existence with such good people that I don't mind if I don't sleep tonight. Just a few last songs before I go - some Diana Ross and some Bowie and then some Floyd, before I crawl into Leire's spare bed for a few hours of befuddled rest before my next lift-off...