Among certain of the upper crust in Great Britain, the day in August that marks the opening of Red Grouse season in Scotland is known as the Glorious Twelfth. We are informed that members of many of the exclusive gentlemens’ clubs (the term has a somewhat less salacious meaning across the pond than it has come to have here in the U. S.) in London, vie to be the first to bring a grouse he has shot to his club so it can be cooked and eaten by him and his mates. The current state of modern transportation technology makes for some rather extreme efforts. So far, they have fallen short of using ballistic missiles. Today, however, it is not possible to beam a grouse the length of the sceptered isle (or across the street, for that matter.) But you never know. Hear that, Scotty?
The twelfth will be somewhat inglorious for the hunters this year; but not so for many a grouse. The date falls in a Sunday, the day of the week when bird hunting is forbidden in Britain. Monday the thirteenth will be the glory day. The grouse have a short reprieve.
A past August twelfth was much less happier for a law enforcement family in the U. S. A follow-up to that occurrence occurred at the end of a later August. Stay tuned.
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