THE COUNTRYMAN


Ripping up the plan Giving a speech at Oban High School was scarier than facing a grizzly bear R


ecently I was honoured to be asked to speak at Oban High School’s end-of-year awards ceremony. Feeling increasingly


nervous, I arrived at the Argyllshire Gathering Halls in Oban, only then fully appreciating the momentousness of the occasion, as parents, teachers and council members mingled in the lobby, formally dressed and expecting the best. I took my place in a line behind the head


teacher, ready to be piped into the hall. Juliet, my wife, had come with me for moral support and her face was registering the same fear I was experiencing. ‘Don’t let me down,’ her eyes seemed to say. I have faced charging elephants, towering


64 WWW.SCOTTISHFIELD.CO.UK WORDS GUY GRIEVE


seas, marauding grizzly bears and gun-toting Alaskans, but the prospect of being a hopeless, boring speaker is more terrifying than anything on earth – particularly so in this local environ- ment. It’s many times more frightening than a roomful of strangers, no matter how important. Fail here and I’d never live it down. The pipes and drums of the school band


struck up as we entered the hall and trooped solemnly towards a long table facing the sizeable audience. As I took my seat, I felt a little like a haggis on Burns Night or some kind of sacrifice at a chief ’s feast. We sat in respectful silence, listening to the rousing tunes. This was no ordinary pipe band either: Oban High


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