St. Columba's Seat and a Touch of Serendipity

Chapter 2

The Precocious Girl

While our wee James was growing up as a timid but respectful young artist, there was a young girl who was always more grown up than her years would suggest. Emily Macdonald lived quite close to the school and had been born on 9th June, 2002, so was 18 months older than James. Perhaps importantly, she was a school year ahead of James, and ordinarily their paths would not cross. They might have unknowingly rubbed shoulders as they passed along the corridors of the school building on their way to classes, but they were never in the same classroom at the one time.

Even at the tender age of 12, Emily was what might be called a "head turner". She was a tall girl with leaf green eyes, high cheekbones, a natural smile, and she kept her black, slightly wavy hair just above shoulder length. However, Emily did not let her good looks go to her head. Indeed, she was a highly intelligent but determined soul who, from the tender age of ten, had already decided what she wanted to do. On a school visit to a pottery, she tried her hand - very successfully, one might add - at making a pot. She had a natural, steady hand and an eye for shape and form. She marvelled how a simple glaze poured over the soft clay and then heated in a kiln could change something that seemed rather fragile and not even waterproof into a useful item.

So, from a very early age Emily was developing her skills in art design, and often the teacher would say cheekily "How is our Charles Rennie Mackintosh today?"

Emily would take this in good heart, as she knew full well that Mackintosh was one of Scotland's leading architects. She actually felt a hereditary link with the "master", as he had married a Margaret Macdonald, which happened also to be the name of Emily's mother, so in theory they could be related.

In the early years, often just yards away but in another class, James sat concentrating on his Maths or English and continuing to excel at any subject that required a dextrous hand, such as technical drawing. The forward-looking school included the subject in the curriculum for any pupil who might have a natural ability in this field.

The years went by, and our two pupils both earned a name for their artistic merits.

Emily, being the assertive, intelligent, tall girl, was not only top of her class but was chosen as deputy head girl when only 16. She gained a large following of friends at school, even though a Prefect, and therefore had some limited powers over her fellow pupils. However, she developed the skill of quickly calming any rumpus that occurred.

Part of her ability to assert her authority over girls, as well as boys, came from the fact that she had an elder brother who was some four years older. So, Emily had quickly learned how to stem any family argument and keep the peace. Emily was also tall for her age and had this almost frighteningly penetrating stare, so when she approached even the most belligerent child, he or she simply stopped what they were doing. Often, Emily would come up and make some humorous or even confusing comment.

"Should I be wearing boxing gloves to join in, or can you lend me yours?" she might say.

This confounded both sides of the confrontation, who of course were not wearing boxing gloves but stopped what they were doing to understand what she meant. This allowed tempers to cool a little, offering Emily the chance to quietly discuss the cause of the upset, acting like Judge Judy as arbiter. In most cases, the parties separated, if not friends, at least not enemies.

Over the months it was noted how there was very little trouble, if any, while Emily was in the playground at breaktimes. There would of course be a duty teacher around, but in most cases they had little to do other than check with Emily that any unruly behaviour was suitably settled, and the matter did not need any official recording or further action.

One memorable occasion illustrates how Emily's unconventional approach could change a minor rumpus into something positive. Two boys that she knew and would normally be considered friends were shouting and nearly coming to blows when Emily approached them. Before she could even ask what the squabble was about, Rupert shouted, "He pinched my new pen!"

"Well, Donald, I think perhaps you have taken it, on a very temporary basis, and will now be handing it back?"

Then, giving both boys one of her famous frightening stares, she added, "I thought you two boys were friends."

This, of course, slightly embarrassed the boys, and they knew you did not want to upset the Deputy Head Girl. So, the pen was quickly returned and a brief sorry said by Donald.

Emily, looking around the playground, told them, "Well, now that you are friends again, I want you to pick up all the rubbish that is blowing around and place it in the bins by the bike shed. I am not sure where it has all come from, but I am sure you two will be able to show you are good citizens and have the place looking spick and span before the bell goes, which gives you just 20 minutes. If it is the high standard of cleanliness that shows the school off in a good light, there may be a reward. So, step to it."

The boys, wondering what the reward might be, rushed off and soon had the playground looking very smart. Where possible they placed the cans and cardboard, as well as paper, in the correct recycling bins, and with two minutes to spare found Emily to see what the reward might be.

Emily produced a £5 note from her pocket. However, she hesitated before passing it over to the boys, who were thinking they were going to be rich.

Emily then asked Donald about his mother. "Did I hear she had to go into hospital?"

"Yes," said Donald, "but she is home now."

"Oh good," said Emily. "Now, no good turn goes unpunished, so you won't spend this money on sweets. Instead, you will call at the flower shop just at the top of town and buy a small posy of flowers for Donald's mum which both of you will present to her this evening. I am sure if you explain that you want to buy a small posy of flowers for your mother, Donald, Mrs Kelsey at the flower shop can oblige you. And no cheating. You will spend all the money on the flowers, understood?"

The boys both nodded and, slightly disappointed, took the £5 note.

Emily's mum, who knew Donald's mother, later heard the rest of the story. The boys did indeed get a rather nice but small posy and presented it to her, and she was naturally delighted and pleased with her kind and thoughtful son.

But then suddenly she said, "Where did you get the money to buy the flowers from?" She was concerned that it may have been stolen.

"We had to clean up the playground, because when the rubbish men came there was a huge wind and an awful lot of it blew around, landing at the north end by the sports hall."

"So, who gave you the money then?"

"The Deputy Head Girl Emily Macdonald. She gave us a £5 note, but then said, 'no good turn goes unpunished'!"

With that, Donald's mother burst out laughing. "That sounds like Emily, from what her mother has told me. Come on, you two, get the orange squash out of the fridge, and I'll see what I can find in my biscuit tin."

With the boys seated at the kitchen table, she produced some Jaffa Cakes which of course was the sort of prize the boys appreciated.

By the autumn of 2019, Emily had risen to be Head Girl, and in that term a young girl called Aileen Murphy entered the school. Her father had gained a prestigious, well-paid job in overall charge of the Hydro-Electric Power Stations in the area, so her family's move from Ireland was rather forced on her. She was a little younger than Emily but was slightly hampered by being thrust into the Scottish Education system just when she had worked out the subjects she wanted to study in Ireland. As a result, she had to rejig the subjects to fit in with the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework. In her previous school she had been "top dog", being a senior Prefect.

However, while Emily had developed a humorous method of calming any confrontation with her almost wicked wit, Aileen had used a more aggressive or disciplinary approach, often shelling out lines when a quiet conversation would have achieved a better outcome. Indeed, her over-exuberant approach had often had to be reined in by a passing teacher.

Emily tried to make friends with the newcomer, realising she would not have any friends yet, but found herself rebuffed by the prickly Aileen.

It was not long before Aileen latched onto the brash Bruce Sparling who James had managed, in the most part, to avoid.

The year of 2019 was bit unusual, with the spectre of Covid-19, and resulting lockdowns the following spring. With most pupils having access to a computer and the internet, schoolwork was switched to being "online" and designed to be returned in like manner.

During this time, Emily won an essay competition, which annoyed Aileen as she had put a lot of effort into her script but came third. Aileen was actually in the same year as James and cast her eye on this handsome but very timid lad. Perhaps, when he is a bit older, she thought.

While Aileen had administration and organising talents, she lacked any artistic bent that Emily had, and therefore her character was not compatible with James. She did not realise that the bonnie Emily had her "chosen one", quietly being watched by her friend Fiona, who was in James's class.

Emily knew from just looking at James's paintings and drawings that he was a kindred spirit. But,...