Fifteen years have passed since I started this thread.

The Harp Society doesn't do the Highland Games anymore. Sometimes we had a dozen people in the audience at the harp tent, but often we wound up playing only for each other. We can do that without hauling instruments across town.

The announcer never told the crowd that we existed. All attention was focussed on the athletes and pipes.

The pipes never stopped. Ever.

At the last games, my friend and I took our instruments and played in a food tent. The people acted as if we were doing something mildly indecent - didn't even give us a glance or a smile. The only person who acknowledged us was another member of the Harp Society, who liked a piece of music so much that I gave her my copy.

When word eventually came that "There won't be a harp tent anymore," it was all right by me.