Naming the Mythic Man
‘We Gypsies have a god; his name is Phara-un. He is part-
god, or good, and part human, or not so good.’
Diana Mafa, Phara-un, God of the Gypsies
I’ll tell you the names of Skerryman. The Vagrant, the
Sadman, the Always-watched. Mr Grayscale. Mr Blue.
Now in the Highlands he bundles up like a lugworm, woollens
and raincoats and thermal knickers; he’s like bait, for the sky
with the thunder-grey roe.
In the Lowlands, he brings in the sea-fog, the beery haar, that
makes streetlamps in the Meadows blimp up like golden
apples. You walk there in the misty night-time, but you won’t
see him.
South of the border is worst. Diesel fumes; the rain tatters
down like stripped wallpaper. Skerryman’s favourites are
dances with veils and cirrus sweeps of arms. Ah, he’s not
doing it to drive you mad, but it’ll drive you mad. It’s because
he’s the Always-watched.
Page(s) 6
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