I've A lot to thank Jim for
by An Ex-Wick Girl Piper

A long while back when I was nine,
And Dounreay was at its peak;
My folks decided it was time,
To hit the road for Wick.

I was fair lost without my pals,
The new school seemed so grim;
But one new friend took me in hand,
And that's when I met Jim.

She took me to the chanter practice,
I didn't know what was comin;
This mannie seemed to be so wild,
Wi' all his hawin' and hummin'

I thought , there's not much else to do,
And once i got over the fright;
It didn't take me long to see,
His bark's worse than his bite!

As time went on and I progressed,
From chanter to the pipes;
I enjoyed the trips to Jim's bakehouse,
And the Academy School at nights.

There was times I didn't feel like going,
With boyfriends on my mind;
But dad and mum used to send me off,
With a kick from behind.

We used to travel far and near,
To game thoughout the land;
We went abroad to Holland, too,
The famous Wick Girl's Pipe Band.

We used to have the greatest time,
We'd never get fed up;
On Jaimsies bus to Edinburgh,
Where twice we won the cup.

There's times Jim nearly gave us up,
His patience right defeated;
For some of the things we lassies did,
Just couldn't be repeated.

Then there's the age when boys come first,
And lassies lose their interest;
Jim says "dinna be sae daft,"
But as always WE knew best.

Credit must go to Lilly, too,
For kilts and plaids she'd sew;
And it couldn't have been a lot of fun,
To be a "Pipe Band Widow."

Since those good old days I've left my Wick,
But still I'm sticking in;
And when I passed my piping exams,
I thought "it's thanks to Jim."

At the time I didn't appreciate,
Just what Jim did for me;
Apart from pipes and uniforms,
Jim taught us all for free.

When the present band look back and think,
On those happy days of yore;
I wonder if they'll think like me,
"I've a lot to thank Jim for."