Trafika Europe 1 - Northern Idyll

sunwise around the damaged area. They say she made a very swift recovery and never again argued against the coming together of the families.

The Twist

FOR EVERY STORY THERE’S A lighter and a darker version. My uncle Andra, fae The Broch, talked about plucking the geese. They were in Italy in the war and the lads had done a deal. Jock Rose the tinker showed how it was done. He plunged the carcasses into near-boiling water and then the feathers just flew off. But first you had to kill your goose. They’re big birds and none of the squaddies ever managed to do that twisting the neck thing. Except Jock. So the deed was done, the plucking completed and they made a proper dinner. Invited their new friends and colleagues in the trade fuelled by British army petrol, to eat with them. The squaddies told their new mates to bring wives and daughters. The table was set. But Jock Rose arrived pissed. He’d got hold of a horse and cart and there were two dames from the brothel, sitting one on either side of him. The guests could see the signs. Some of them grabbed food, as they legged it out, stuffing it in the pockets of their good clothes. These were hungry times in the villages and the towns of Italy.

118