Farewell Tommy

Sad day for me, Dad got in touch to say our family friend Tommy had passed away on Tuesday, made all the more real and a little haunting because he was the subject of my stories just 2 weeks ago when duck hunting season opened here. Tommy was a keen hand when it came to pest control, many of my favourite mornings in the shop involved his appearance with anecdotes from the previous days hunting or a favourite memory.

The story in question was from one of these mornings as he set out to help with Canada Geese, shortly after the smoking ban had come into force in Scotland, making it illigal to smoke in any workplace. He approached the counter with his newspaper, a cigarette hung from his mouth, lit of course. After 3 attempts to get him to put it out, the realisation of his crime was accompanied with one of my favourite quotes of all time "the bobbys have taken all the fun out of driving and the government's taken all the fun out of smoking". I really enjoyed that attitude and it has stuck with me for nearly ten years, it is easy to forget how things were in rural areas thirty or forty years ago when these guys could go about their business after a lot of drinking and without fear of legal problems, as long as everyone got home safely.

Imagine the fun these guys must have had at barn dances then going out hunting with a bottle to revive them then driving home for a dinner made with their kill for the day. So dangerous but for the most part, it was only the signposts and rocks that would be worried. Times are incredibly different today. As you have probably gathered, it is my understanding that Tommy was also a keen hand with the bottle so the dram being poured in the picture is a very large one in his honour. I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

My best wishes go out to the Fraser clan, if you happen to read this please know I am thinking of you and Tommy will always be in my memories.