On the way home on saturday night we stopped at Loanhead to get a fish supper at "Dino's", a chippy which I have a long history with, going back to 1966.
Anyway it was a real treat to see my old friend Joe Pia back from his recent trip to Los Vegas.
When I first started working as ayoung "polis" in loanhead in late 1966 the chip shop was run by the Muir family, whose son John later joined the police and worked with me on the search teams although he was stationed in the City.
His folks sold the shop to Joe Pia in 1968 when Joe, who had been living in Musselburgh since 1967, moved up and into the house next to the shop. I became very friendly with Joe, as did all the local Police , Andrew Stewart; Bill Baxter: Ronnie Cochrane; Bill Smith; Fergusson; Sinclair; and co.
One of my treats was to get a bag of "scraps" burnt chips, batter ,etc when I popped in just as the shop was getting cleaned up at night. Andrew would be found in the back shop sorting the fish ( being an ex chef) and it was not unusual for us to have a wee tipple with Joe late on.
He had a couple of local women working for him , one Elsie Patrick was a real character and knew everybody and their business. One night Baxter arrived, and decided to demonstrate how good his new baton was, having been given to him as a gift from a local wood turner - he took the new baton and whacked it off the counter where it broke in two, much to our amusement.
Joe's good lady wife was very patient, putting up with our late night visits, etc. and then young Dino appeared on he scene - to grow up to the fine young man he is now.
Obviously , over the years, and living further away we only see each other now and again but it is always a pleasure to meet and have blether about the good old days. To Joe, I was always the "bastardo carabinieri" - I would sneak up behind him - say bastardo carabinieri and he would say "ah Stuarti" and the same still applies when I pop in to see Dino who now runs this very busy shop - making the most amazing special fish - which are like baby whales.
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