On Tuesday night, walking near Leonard Street and Manhattan Avenue, I heard a harsh, melodious sound, and turned to see, through the rain, a lone bagpiper blasting away. Jim Basil, a local resident, said he practices three or four times a week in various neighborhood spots to prepare for bagpipe competitions held across the East Coast. Basil first heard the instrument at his grandfather’s funeral when he was 14, and knew then that he wanted to learn to play.
Two cyclists stopped to listen, and a man walked his dog straight to the source of the music, with the pet moving briskly, head up, like a hotel concierge crossing the lobby to greet a welcome guest. After they had passed, Basil headed for the handball court at the northern end of the park, and began playing and pacing carefully along the median cement wall.
Practicing without cover from the rain, both Basil and his pipes were wet, but he assured me that he and his instrument were fine. “It’s always raining in Scotland,” he said.
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