The Pied Piper of Robinson County

Norah has begun a weekly ritual of visiting hospice/nursing home patients with my mother, allowing a couple of hours for E and I to spend alone together.  (I like to think of it as slowly conditioning ourselves for her absence when she leaves us for kindergarten in the fall...and that is all I will say on that subject, as I don't want to be reduced to a puddle of tears at this precise moment)

On this particular day, Eli and I had plans to wash the car together.  However, when, while gathering our car washing gear we were met with the unmistakable sound of a bagpipe, like a feather in the wind (which, if you know me well is SO not my usual temperment), I decided it was a good day for a field trip.

"Momma!?  What's that sound?" Eli asked in excited curiosity.  "Why don't we go and find out?" I replied, as I took his hand and led him down our street to the source of the serenade.  (Jason and I had met our bag piping neighbor a while back, and have enjoyed his intermittent, spontaneous lawn concerts for a few years now.  Seriously...he's really good.  Sure, you may think it sounds a little weird, but you know deep down you're a little bit jealous of our interesting, cultured neighborhood)

The look on E's face when the piper came into view was priceless.  It was a mixture of awe, joy, and cautious curiosity.  (And the piper, himself was absolutely loving the audience of his one-man toddler fan-club). 

Eli slowly shuffled closer and closer, while the piper played the Scottish National Anthem.  When he finished, the piper asked if Eli would like to hear another song, to which he replied with an enthusiastic "Yes!" Mr. Leslie dazzled him with "the Happy Birthday song". while Eli sang along with a massive grin on his face.

By the time that song ended, Eli was practically in his pocket he had gotten so close.  "Can I try?" he asked, hopefully.  Mr. Leslie let him press the air out of the bag, and touch the holes on each of the pipes.  (with his fingers, not his mouth, of course)

 Mr. Leslie explained that bagpipes were traditionally used to ward off evil spirits in Scotland, but they also are fabled to have a  magnetism drawing in small children and animals (perhaps this is the origin of the creepy fairy tale, "The Pied Piper of Hamlin"?)

Then, to cap off our visit, he told Eli that he had a small set of "boy sized" bag pipes that he could love to let him play sometime if we would come back to visit on another day.  Eli was  absolutely floored.  (He has since asked on multiple occasions if we could get him some bag pipes for Christmas.)

Jason has always told me that he wants bagpipes played at his funeral, so I guess E came by his love for them honestly.  Who knows, maybe he'll start a trend. Move over drum set, make way for the new, hipster instrument of choice!