Chapter Seven...Same Day, Same Weekend
Lexie really enjoyed the help, as every time the twins needed something, she'd be just about ready to do it and Claire would 'zip' to her tag team rescue. It was later that afternoon, when Lexie brought Archie a plate of dinner to the library. Lexie decided to clue Archie in on how much of a help Claire had been and to also try talk to him about the nanny position. To her dismay, Archie was no where to be found in the library or anywhere else in the house...until Ewan told her where to look...the wildlife centre office.
"Dinner served, since you wouldn't come and get it," Lexie sighed as she placed the plate and tray down on the desk near Archie. Archie's fingers continued to scramble across the lap-top keyboard at a nearby table, "One must assume pencil pushing makes ya famished!"
"Thanks just set it there Ewan." Archie didn't even look up from the lap-top or acknowledge that Lexie had delivered the meal and not Ewan. Lexie wasn't impressed, actually astonished at how 'passive' he was about dinner. "It's me Bambi special, Arch, I made it since you gave Ewan the night off and you're sitting there turning yer nose up at my home cooked meal?"
"Oh, Lex, sorry," Archie guiltily turned to face her and Lexie now very tired and grumpy, swiftly shut the laptop on him...as he chirped out, "Hey...I'm not done with that."
"Arch, I'm not a second fiddle, to the first, lately you've been acting like it—you're now hiding out on me? An' here none the less? What's wrong with the house or the estate? I told you days ago, I?"
"Lex, I'm really sorry. I needed a quiet work space and I told Ewan only to disturb me at meals...besides, I've been working on something elsewith Compton."
"Laird of Glencampbell? Lizzie's wee man?"
"Yes, well, years ago, before you and I got together, you remember my idea for Glenbogle spring water...well Compton had the money to start up his own bottling plant, we were talking on about it at some village event, and so on, anyway, he created the plant, built it all from scratch and allowed me to help 'partner' it..."
"Tell me something I don't know..." as Lexie on cue rolled her sky colored eyes.
"Listen Lex, the plant's turning huge profits now and Compton signed me over for more shares of the place..."
"Oh really, and what money you got to give him?"
"Not about money, about land. I raffled him off a couple more acres near the village school."
"Why would Compton want something to do with the school?"
"He said he could help me 'expand' it so that way, I'd never have to worry about shuttling the high school kids off to Glenmorin."
"Okay...so..."
"Compton is running for new 'glens' counsel..."
"Aye, I know, Lexie, he's told me he actually wants to marry Lizzie soon." Archie said all excited and enthusiastic. Lexie was the direct opposite, down and out, and also very perplexed about the concept.
"Ya normally yer very blank like a chalkboard when it comes to someone's relations...remember what happened the last time you were asked to invest money into a company?"
"Lexie, that was David Fraser playing a game and he wasn't trustworthy at all. This is different and a HUGE ordeal, nothing to not be chuffed about. Two actual families coming together, big old wealthy families..."
"His maybe and ye are not Ritchie Rich, yanno! We're penniless remember?"
"Yes, but we're asset 'rich', like King Alfonso XIII!" said Archie proudly, who didn't give up hope and ignored Lexie's pessimism and reply, "The King of Spain, whose people kept trying to off him because he wanted to dominate the government!"
"No, no, bad example..." Archie rolled his eyes and lowered his voice, taking in the view of Lexie's irritated stare, "Lexie, if Compton won, I wouldn't have to jump hoops to get grants for anything that I see needs to be fixed, moved, created or done!"
"Archie, you're playing with fire and I want the matchbox! Dream on, besides, just because Compton's winning the newspaper polls as the best man for the job, doesn't mean he's suitable for it."
"Lexie, for once, toss caution into the wind, and what do you get?"
"A very, very, very bad feeling I'm about to be blown away! Considering I'm no Winnie the Pooh on a blustery day, mind you! You're no Piglet out to rescue me from dangling off a red balloon!"
"Right! No, no, no..." Archie shook his head again, in disagreement with his wife, assuming she'd take his side and she still didn't, "Look, father always wanted Lizzie with someone suitable and to be married, not single. He always wanted her to end up with the right..."
"Eh! Hello! Archie that was slithering blithering dithering years ago—what Hector had said about her hitching her wagon to someone else's train for the sake of the 'babe'! Lizzie's a grown woman, how do you know she wants to marry Compton? Besides, remember when Hector played matchmaker for you?"
"Look, that was zillions of magazine articles ago, and it didn't work or I wouldn't be wed to you, Lexie, please, this is Lizzie and she's actually quite smitten with him."
"Or you are," Lexie said smugly and witty while Archie's face went soft.
"Lexie,"
"I can't believe you! We don't have the money, the land or the assets to give."
"Look, so he's got a great deal of more money than we do, but I've known him since I was child and his father and my father always played golf on Sundays."
"Great so get yourself a caddy, Archie, an' putt off a game for the shares rather than trade off land—we can't sellremember! Or we forfeit the estate!"
"Lexie, too late, already been done. I didn't sell...we sort of agreed on the trade—land for shares."
"What about Paul's say? Aside from you disregarding my own?" Lexie's eyes narrowed in on Archie...she wasn't happy with him.
"Paul agreed already, he was the one who suggested it, actually."
"I..."
"Lexie, just trust me, just this once, Paul and I are doing the right thing."
"We'll just see about that!" Lexie muttered and looked away from Archie, just as he tried to embrace her.
"What did you make me for dinner again?" Archie smiled while peeking over to the covered plate of food on a tray as Lexie who pondered taking the dinner away, changed her mind, she was too exhausted to continue to battle about anything estate wise. However she still had her instinct not to trust Compton.
"Bambi," Lexie huffed as Archie set his eyes warmly, smoothly and loving on hers, and then his hands on her shoulders, and concluded warmly, "It'll be all right, Lex, in fact we're going to hire you that nanny you asked for. That's another reason I went along with buying more shares in Compton's water bottle company by use of 'trading' in some land."
"Ah, well...ya mean it?" Lexie sideways glanced at Archie for some form of reassurance.
"I already got the 15,000 pounds to offer the lucky nanny to be. We'll have to have interviews soon and I will put that ad in the paper."
"Arch."
"Yes?"
"I don't put an ad in the paper."
"Why?"
"I found us a nanny. I'll ask her sometime this week, but I need to talk to Susan first."
"Oh?"
"Aye..."
"Why Susan?"
"Dun worry, just leave me to hire estate staff again, unless you're revoking that from my duties too?"
"I promise, I'm not, do what your heart desires."
"Even if my heart desires to give you a chompin'?"
"What kind of a chompin', do you have in mind?" Archie winked, as his arms wrapped right around Lexie, he snuggled right into her and as his lips were about to meet hers with his eyes closed. Lexie instantly picked up a piece of Bambi with her hands and filled his slightly puckering mouth full of the meat, "Hmmmm good,"
Archie chuckled, coughed a bit, and Lexie wiped his face with a napkin. She laughed too just before Archie pulled his wife in for a kiss...
Claire was in the dinning room sitting on a yellow velvet high backed chair at the table. She finished placing the letter to the organ donor family into the envelope. Susan rolled in with silver placemats and utensils helping Lexie set up the house for dinner, she smiled at Claire, "Finished?"
"Aye, now it needs to make way into the mail..."
"Good, so you can send it off then?" Susan beamed as Claire gave her a disheartened glance.
"I guess."
"You're not having second thoughts about sending it, are you?" Susan questioned her sister and her guilty as charged look.
"Suz, I don't want to upset anyone by telling them how happy I am alive, and rubbing it all in."
"You're not rubbing anything in Claire. You're a decent soul for writing that letter."
"You wrote it..."
"I helped you write it. You wrote the bulk of it yourself."
"Mebbe I shouldn't mail it?" Claire's voice took on an angst tone as she cast her eyes away from her sister.
"Look, mail it and if you don't I will." Susan replied with a big smile. Claire wasn't convinced, as Paul walked into the room.
"Everything okay?"
"Great. Just giving Claire a wee pep talk about mailing that letter off."
"Oh right, to the family?" Paul quipped with a smile, "Good for you, Claire."
"Thanks, but I'm not sure I'm sending it, I'm gonna go help Lexie with the twins." Claire announced as she tossed the letter into the fireplace, which wasn't lit.
"Claire..." Susan sighed, snagged up the letter and stared at Paul.
"She should send it." Paul agreed and Susan held the letter in her hands.
"I'm going into the village. I can mail it for her at post box," Paul offered wisely and Susan's hand reached out and placed the envelope in his.
"You don't have too. I could do it on Monday."
"With your work schedule? Nah, I'll do it for you and Claire." Paul smiled at Susan, leaned in to kiss her and then waltzed away after stuffing the letter into his pants pocket. Susan then sat down on a high back chair before turning to look out at the loch and letting out a long sigh. She just wanted Claire to be happy and to not worry so much about 'having' someone else's heart, but instead to be thankful for it.
Just as Susan stood up to complete the table, Lizzie strolled right in, "Suzy,"
"Hi Lizzie, what's a matter?"
"The phone rang for you."
"Oh?"
"It's Edith Rankin and I told her you were here." Lizzie smiled as she trailed behind Susan who wandered towards the telephone stand just at the bottom of the main stairway and hallway of the house. Susan lots of thoughts running through her mind as she traveled towards the phone, Lizzie handed it to her while Susan cupped her hand over the talking end of the receiver, "What did she want?"
"I don't know, ask her, go on..."
"Hello?" Susan asked as she held the receiver to her ear, "Ah-huh, yes, hi Edith, busier than normal. Meeting tomorrow? On Sunday? Oh no, I don't do much—I see, well, the paper keeps me...oh, I see, okay, great at 2pm."
Susan hung up the phone, before Lizzie stared at her, "Well?"
"E-yea, hum."
"I don't speak Susan very well, please clarify." Lizzie rolled her eyes and started to pester her.
"Waiting for an important callor prankin' someone without me?" Lexie called out as she entered the front of the house and noticed Lizzie and Susan hovering over the phone stand.
"Actually, neither, Edith Rankin wants to see me in her office." Susan replied as Lexie laughed, thinking Susan wasn't serious and then her face hardened, "You're in trouble?"
"You're kidding? When?" Lizzie inquired as she continued to prod Susan for information.
"Tomorrow at 2pm. I told her it's Sunday and she simply asked if reporters still work around the clock and I said I could. Anyway, I'm off to finish with the dinner table." Susan wandered off, leaving Lexie and Lizzie to watch her go and exchange 'interested in Susan's meeting' glances.
Chapter EightNewspapers
Susan walked down the busy main street and wandered into the brick building or the home to Edith Rankin's office. Once inside the building she sat herself down in a chair just outside of Edith's office door. Edith was in there, just chatting away on the telephone. Susan had a hard time making up her mind if she should be nervous or not with seeing Edith, even after hearing all of the 'terrible' stories about the 'overbearing' and 'bossy' Edith, and how Archie's time and time again had trouble getting grants from the town for estate doings from Lexie and the conflicting 'friendly' stories from Molly at how Edith had become her 'friend' at dinner the other night.
Susan tried not to dwell on the good and bad stories as she crossed her legs right over left and left over right, adjusted her suit, and fiddled with her blouse collar until, "Susan Thatcher-Higgins, come right in..."
It was Edith as she held out her hand to shake Susan's, which she did. Susan entered the white walled office, there were file cabinets in one corner of the room, Edith's desk right in the middle, a huge window behind the desk and also bookshelves of books. Edith gestured to Susan to sit down before returning herself to her big comfy high back leather desk chair.
"Good of you to come on such short notice, then again reporters are supposed to do this, right?"
"Yes, what's the business?" Susan asked immediately.
"I like someone who gets down to the point of being here and doesn't dance around the subject," Edith chuckled stiffly, as she scanned Susan's face carefully, "I have read your award-winning article..." Edith pulled out the article that Susan had written year ago on 'highland economy'. Susan's eyes widened, as she feared that Edith would be 'giving her' her take on the article as she recalled Archie's and Paul's opinions about it in the back of her mind.
"It's well-thought out-don't totally agree with you, but..." Edith said quickly and Susan's face relaxed slightly.
"Thank-you, I think."
"I called you here because I'm retiring from politics. Once the new 'glens' counsel election is said and done, I'm done with running anything, except my home." Edith smiled again, her smile kept making Susan think about Molly's stories...
"I'm a dear old friend of Molly, as you probably know, I called it to her attention that I'd like for you to do something for this village."
"Molly mentioned to me you knew her and you were both on friendly terms. I was there during the counsel meeting when?"
"Yes, your father tried to buy the forest, what a mess that was, and thank goodness Molly and I got to the bottom of it." Edith shook her head continuing to show Susan her 'human' side, before adding, "I knew Paul's mother."
Susan sat there and blinked, before asking, "You did?"
"Yes, actually I did. I had gone over to the big house that day long ago, the day Molly had 'left' Hector, assuming to talk to him about his wife 'leaving' him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him with Megan Bowman. Odd at first, since we all grew up together. I hadn't spoken to Hector, and at that time I refused too because well, I fancied him so much and I despised him marrying off without giving me a fair chance...anyway..."
"Well, what does this have to do with me?"
"I want you and your fancy dancey writing to head up Glenbogle's first newspaper."
Susan blinked once more "Come again?"
"Strathsprey Gazette needs some competition, the area needs inspiring stories, ones which you can sink your teeth into and feast your eyes upon. And since this is the last request as Head of Glenbogle Counsel that I can make, I'm asking it loud and clear and out of respect for Hector and his father's hobbyaside from yours."
Susan wasn't sure of what to make of the offer of 'starting' up her own paper as she was about to question it, the office door opened and Molly appeared with a vivacious beam.
"Molly?" Susan tipped her head, becoming confused, and then shocked.
"Hello, Susan. I see you're speechless, it would mean a lot to the women of the village to have a 'role model', you know, dear, a real career woman role model, like you?" Molly winked and sat herself beside Susan.
Susan then questioned, "I'm flattered, Molly and Edith, I mean no disrespect, but running a paper takes a lot of hard earned work, lots of journalists, and you can't just make a paper over night and expect people to buy it. Plus money...you need to have?"
"There's already a grant set aside for the paper, Susan. I made sure of it and the members voted on it last week." Edith noted wisely as Susan's brows peaked...
"Just think about it, no more traveling back and forth for The Scotsman to Edinburgh on certain days, you'd be home at a decent hour and?" Molly waited for Susan's new reaction.
"I need to think this over."
"Susan, Hector's father Angus wanted to start a village paper very, very, very badly and even wanted Hector to help him start it out when he got back from the war decades ago. Of course real life and Hector's disinterest in the idea of his father starting a paper...well, let's just say it never went off the ground." Molly sighed sadly and Susan could tell Molly was trying to 'sell' her the idea of running a village paper.
"I see. Where do we print the papers? Who would do the photo journalism? How would I be paid for my work or any other reporter?" Susan posed lots of questions and Edith gave her answers.
"You'd work for the town for one, any profits would go to the paper and benefit you and anyone you hired on, Susan, you'd be the editor."
"You can print the papers at the house on Angus's old printing press in the basement, I've already got a photographer in mind and until you can open an office of your own, perhaps you could run the paper out of the storage room above the shop? I've been hoping to fill that space, what's better than to fill it with one's family business?" Molly hinted as Susan glanced her way and asked, "Edith, editor, is a nice title and Molly, you mean well, but how on earth would I pay you rent? If I went through with this, I'd have to give notice to The Scotsman."
"No need to really, you would start the paper up, and get it going and then when profits came in, and you could give me a share in it. You can still take on stuff for the Scotsman until you're able to support yourself with just the village paper."
Molly gave Susan a hopeful, pleasing, and somewhat pleading look as Susan glanced in Edith's direction, who spoke out sensibly, "We could really use a village paper with all of this publicity because of the new glens counsel election. If it doesn't work out, you have nothing to lose and you wouldn't have called off your previous job and well..."
"I'll do it."
Molly and Edith exchanged rather giddy-looking stares and then smiled once again, "You will?"
"Aye, yes, I will. I don't know how or where to begin exactly, I'll need staff?" Susan started to piece everything together that a paper would need.
The next week, and afternoons later at lunchtime, as the new 'glens' counsel election was almost over...just two nights to go and the campaigning would stop and the voting between the three villages and their inhabitants would start, as Susan had been pretty busy covering all of those election stories with Janey. This wasn't an 'ordinary' lunch for the MacDonald household but the middle of the first print 'staff meeting' for the Glenbogle Gazette. Susan now had the film projector out, figures displayed up on a portable projector screen, and also a dry erase board behind her with names on it in side by side columns: Duncan, Claire, Susan, Lorraine, Maureen, Janey, and Molly.
Lexie, Paul and Archie were in at the doorway listening in on Susan's meeting before returning to the kitchen. Paul had made a deal with her that he'd let her run her meeting with out him standing by. Lexie and Archie agreed with Paul that Susan had to run her job as editor on her own two feet without getting any of the estate 'management' involved with the town business.
"Okay, Janey and I do up the next scoops of the 'after' electiongot a couple quick cover story ideas about our new head counsel man. I know Lorraine wants to publish another story about the community's soon nightlife and Maureen about the school...I'm gonna need some printers..." Susan replied as she glanced at Claire, while writing down in blue marker everyone's job so the newspaper could be printed up on the dry erase board, "Do you think you can handle it?"
"Can I?" Claire laughed, "Of course, how hard can it be to run a printing press? I will need a partner for it though..."
Claire eyed Duncan and he stared back at her with a thoughtful smile. Susan cast her eyes in Claire's and then Duncan's direction. Susan quipped, "This is really important, you two, no funny business either, we have suppliers already who want to purchase copies for their shops within the three villages. The shipment is supposed to go out tomorrow, which reminds me, I need someone to deliver papers too!"
Duncan continued grinning at Claire in some dream like stare before Claire nominated him for that job as well, "Duncan can do it as long as Archie and Lexie don't have a lot for him to do."
Susan smiled, "I've already asked for Archie's permission, aside from Paul's. Good so that's settled, so off to the presses you two."
As people started to file out of the room, Xavier and Molly approached Susan, "Susan, you've met Xavier before?" Molly introduced Xavier and Susan once again.
"Why yes, Katrina and Fergal's wedding and via passing in town, what can I do for you?" Susan gestured friendly while shutting down the projector.
"I'm afraid it's more what I can do for you."
Susan stared at Xavier quizzically, as he continued, "Molly suggested you needed a photographer for a few of the articles."
"Yes, that's right, Janey's not big on photo taking and only did it for the first edition...she really wants to stick to what she's good at, writing." Susan answered while she looked at Molly with whirl-wind wonderment, had Molly brought Susan a professional photo taker?
"That's what I thought, Susan, well, decided Xavier could help you, if it's all right, I mean I know you're the editor-in-chief and all..." Molly began while 'feeling' out Susan's reaction.
"Molly, that's a marvelous idea and I'd like to have Xavier on the team," Susan beamed brightly and Xavier nodded his head with a huge and tremendously wide smile.
"Oh good, so it's settled?" Molly gleamed as Susan nodded her head in agreement, "Yes it is."
Duncan and Claire voyaged into a section of the basement, which wasn't destroyed by his grandfather's bomb over a year ago with a case of print cartridges and the first edition newspaper templates in a bag. They switched on a light, swept away cobwebs attached to the old machine, which was covered also by a few dark sheets and then exchanged excited looks.
"This is it? It's enormous! Must weigh an absolute ton!" Claire boosted aloud as Duncan nodded his head and pulled off the one of the sheet from the printing press machine. Duncan hadn't been in this section of the house since Archie showed him where the fuse box was.
"Aye, mighty ol' beast that it is. Archie says that his grandfather would print out papers about the war and sometimes 'fake' money to tease Hector and Killwillie with."
"Well, mebbe, we should get the show on the road?" Claire yanked the other sheet off the other machine and Duncan searched high and low for the 'plug' to the enormous printing press. Duncan 'plugged' it in as he stood back before Claire noted the large 'on and off' switch. The printing press, no matter how ancient it was, came to life. It first made a low hum, and then went silent...as it if it weren't even on. The press was black steel, with gray legs, and had a place to insert the templates, ink, and the paper reel, aside from another weave where the paper would be printed on, cut, and then spit right out into a tray.
Claire peered over to Duncan as he peered back at her once again, "Is it even on?"
"I dun no I could get my face up close to it to hear?" Duncan lowered his ear to hear the machine, before raising his head up and accidentally thumping it onto the empty paper bin. Duncan rubbed his aching brow and then forced a smile to Claire like nothing was wrong, "Aye, it's still on."
"Good, let's figure out this thing, the plates must go there, right?" Claire handed Duncan the print plates one by one and they loaded them on. Next they managed to study the roll of gleaming white paper which Duncan had carried in over his shoulder when they entered the room.
"Aye, steady, yourself, it gets hooked there..." Duncan placed the paper on the reel, fed it through two 'rolling' pins, and the next was to add the ink. Claire wandered over to a work bench which was home to a few bottles of stark raven ink. As she handed Duncan the bottle, he opened the pour valve to the press, they added in one bottle...then two and then the last...
"What if this doesn't work?" Claire asked immediately after they added the ink
in...all three bottles worth...
"It should work. We just need to figure out which of these switches runs the
rest of the machine..." Duncan
shrugged as he glanced at Claire, as mechanically minded as Duncan
could be about cars. He didn't think the printing press was that much different
than the land rover's engine...but it so was...
"What's that bit do?" Claire hit a button, after Duncan searched the printing press for a belt on crank switch and also a crank switch to turn on the cutter aside from alerting the ink to come onto the templates.
"I dun't know..." Duncan and Claire stood back from the press, and then it went, making loud magnificent and in tune sounds, 'clink', 'clank', 'chinny-bang', 'clip', 'swoosh' and 'spit-DING!' as out came a newspaper page by page into the done bin. Duncan blew out a breath as Claire cast him a look, "Relieved Duncan? It's only the first paper and there's a million more to go!"
The machine continued to go, 'clink', 'clank', 'chinny-bang', 'clip', 'swoosh' and 'spit-DING!' and then again, 'clink', 'clank', 'chinny-bang', 'clip', 'swoosh' and 'spit-DING!', over and over again as if it were in complete utter tune with itself. The machine hadn't been run in decades and it still worked well...well, Claire and Duncan thought so! For hours on end as Claire and Duncan saddled up and bound newspapers the machine kept doing the dirty work as planned.
As the machine danced to its music, hour after hour, Claire and Duncan then heard from the printer: 'glug, glugg...gluggity-glug!' as they looked at each other for advice, "What happened to it?"
"Dun no, lemme check it." Duncan put his thinking cap on and decided it must be a 'mechanical' error. The printing press stopped working as Duncan spoke out over the machine as it stood between him and Claire... "It's jammed, like a paper feed of some sort, lemme try this!" Duncan hit an 'ejection of paper reel' button at first Claire thought Duncan knew what he was doing and would be all right, however she heard a very high-pitched, "slick-kity, spew!' and Duncan hollering out, "Och YUCK!"
Claire answered quickly to Duncan's distress call as she cantered around the machine, "You all right, Dunc?"
"Aye, I need a towel..." Duncan grumbled as his face was pitch black from the over abundance of printing press ink and Claire started to laugh at his condition, "It's not funny, the gook burns me face, you know! You laugh now!"
"Calm down Duncan, I'll clean you up." Claire had fetched some water earlier for them to drink. Claire latched her hand to his, and stood beside him as she led him to sit down on a stool. Claire managed to wipe what she could with a cloth, after she moistened it with water from her drinking glass, on Duncan's poor face.
"Now what do we do?" Claire asked as she continued to wipe down Duncan.
"Me gots to fix it. I mean or there will be no papers for delivery in the morn an' Susan will be disappointed...you know, Claire..." Duncan spoke on and on as he rambled because he was nervous. This was the closest he had been to her since she had started to visit Susan on weekend's months upon months ago. Also the first time for them to be actually alone, with no Minnie present, or anyone else in the house...
"Yes, Duncan?" Claire's hand finished cleaning him up, just as her eyes linked with his.
"You're really pretty," Duncan spoke up again, with still a hint of nervousness in his voice as Claire joked as her eyes darted away from his as she placed the damp cloth onto the work bench, "I think the ink rotted your brain, aye?"
"I'm not kidding 'ere." Duncan replied, and as Duncan's mind yelled out, 'dafty!' at how he was expressing his 'interest' in Claire finally, "You really are..."
"I see, yes indeedy, you're quite a clever looker yerself," Claire punned as their eyes met once more...Claire froze for a moment, so did Duncan, as their heads were inching closer and closer, their lips just about to brush when...
"I heard awful noises down here- just wanted to check on the progress with the printing for our favorite editor! Ooooh! These came out grand!"
Duncan and Claire's heads had moved completely apart from each other within seconds of hearing Molly, noting her getting distracted with the papers, as she snatched one up from the soon to be bundled up pile near the doorway. However, Duncan was so taken by surprise of Molly's 'checking in' that he then lost balance, fell off of the stool, and kept slipping on his kilt while trying to stand back up on his two feet.
