Once in the Highlands, the Highlands of Scotland,
Deep in the night on a murky brae;
There in the Highlands, the Highlands of Scotland,
Two weary campers lost their way
And this is what happened,
The strange thing that happened,
To two weary campers who lost their way.
The two campers were Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas, sitting by a campfire looking at a map of Scotland.
"Let's see. Here's Auchindale." said Tommy as he examined the map.
"If I remember correctly, that should be on the left," said Jeff. "And I don't often remember."
"It is." said Tommy as he kept looking at the map. "Here's Braekirk."
"Should be on the right." said Jeff.
"Well, then, where are we now?" asked Tommy.
"What's in the middle?" Jeff asked back.
"Nothing." replied Tommy.
"Then, that's where we are." concluded Jeff.
"In nothing?" asked Tommy
"Yep." said Jeff. "And for a fellow of my potentialities, this is an ideal location."
Tommy let out a groan as he put away the map. "Some campers we are. We come all the way over here from New York and the first night out, we get lost."
"Maybe we took the high road instead of the low road." suggested Jeff as he pulled out a flask. "Wanna drink?"
"Uh, no thanks." said Tommy as he dumped the water from his canteen into the campfire, putting it out.
"Hmm, your loss." said Jeff, who began to drink out of his flask.
"I thought you told me you were gonna cut down." said Tommy.
"And yet, I'm a terrible liar." replied Jeff. "Besides, it doesn't pay.
"I remember I was with a wonderful girl once..." he went on. "And she used to plead with me and plead with me to give it up. So, one day I did. But then, we discovered we had nothing more to talk about, so we broke up."
Jeff kept on drinking from his flask while Tommy stared up at the night sky.
"You know, Jeff, there's something about this forest that gives me the feeling of being in a cathedral." he said.
"Well, if we were, I'd know where the exit is." said Jeff, who rolled out his sleeping bag.
"You don't believe in anything, do you?" asked Tommy, who rolled out his sleeping bag as well.
"Of course I do." said Jeff.
"Really? What?" asked Tommy.
"Well, practically anything I can understand." replied Jeff. "Anything that's real to me. You know, things I can touch, taste, hear, see, smell and swallow."
"Well, what about the things you don't understand?" asked Tommy.
"I dismiss 'em." said Jeff.
"Makes it very easy, doesn't it?" asked Tommy.
"Comfortable, anyhow." said Jeff, whom Tommy looked at, saying. "I envy you."
"Why?" asked Jeff.
"You seem so satisfied."
"Well, I am. Aren't you?"
Tommy stared at the night sky again while saying. "No, I'm not."
"Oh, that's the silliest thing I ever heard." said Jeff. "You've got a fine job and you're engaged to a fine girl and you're lost in a fine forest. What more do you want?"
"I don't know." said Tommy. "But, something seems wrong...especially about Jane and me. And that makes everything seem wrong. Look how I postponed getting married. I just can't get myself to that altar."
"Well, you love her, don't you?" asked Jeff. "At least you did three days ago when we left New York."
"Sometimes, I think I'm really not capable of loving." said Tommy as he got into his sleeping bag. "Sometimes, I think nobody is anymore."
"Now, don't start talking yourself into an inferiority complex." said Jeff as he got into his sleeping bag as well. "You don't deserve it."
"What do you mean?" asked Tommy.
"Well, most of my friends who have an inferiority complex are absolutely right." explained Jeff. "They're not as good as everybody else. But you...young, dashing, and loaded."
Just as Jeff dimmed the lantern light, he and Tommy heard singing in the distance.
Brigadoon, Brigadoon,
Blooming under sable skies.
"Oh, that's all we need, a lullaby to put us to sleep." groaned Jeff, putting his coat over his head.
Tommy didn't mind the singing as he drifted off to sleep.
Brigadoon, Brigadoon,
There my heart forever lies.
Let the world grow cold around us,
Let the heavens cry above!
Brigadoon, Brigadoon,
In thy valley, there'll be love!