Natasha Crief Highland Games August 19, 2001

Photos belong to Natasha do not use elsewhere without permission

My best friend Teresa and I planned a backpacking trip through England and Scotland in June of this year. Several days after having gotten everything sorted out with the plans, I got an e-mail from a friend who told me Ewan was going to be the Chieftain at the Highland Games in Crieff. The timing was perfect because our trip was from August 13 through the 23. The Games being on August 19, we planned to stop there. We arrived in Crieff the day before the Games and stayed in a little Bed and Breakfast. Each room at the place was dedicated to a Clan.

And by some weird coincidence we got the McGregor room. So the next morning I was up early and was sadly dismayed to find that it was pouring. But still I was practically jumping for joy I was so happy that the day had finally arrived. We headed down to the park at around 10 and there were hardly any people there. We walked around a bit and I spied the reserved seating area. And who happens to be standing in there all by himself in his brown rain coat, short spikey hair, and to die for kilt? Oh yes, Ewan himself. I almost died.

Teresa is not much of an enthusiast for Ewan like me. Even so she was excited and we ran over to the box office asking if we could get tickets. But we were told that you couldn't get them until 1:30pm. Seeing as it was only 10:30am we had time to kill. Ewan had walked down to the middle of the field by now and was basically just standing around doing nothing. Occasionally someone would introduce themselves but only the competitors were allowed down there. So we're standing by the fence. I'm taking pictures like mad.

And Teresa is bugging me to beg my way in. I finally got up the courage and we strolled back over to the ticket booth. "I've got to get in. I've come all the way from America and if I don't meet Ewan...I'll die!" I told the ticket woman and two security guards. She seemed to be amused so she goes down to the edge of the field and calls Ewan's dad over, telling him our request. He in turn personally calls Ewan over and sends him up our way.

He's striding across the field looking so rugged...so Scottish...so desirable. I was a puddle of goo but I kept perfectly calm as he motioned us inside to the reserved seating area and shook our hands. There was absolutely no one else around. Private Ewan meeting!!! He asked us where we were from and apologised that we had come all that way and it was pouring. But he assured me that it wouldn't last (which it did anyway).

Then I asked him to sign my program (with his picture on the cover) and my Moulin Rouge CD. He asked my name and then offered to have his photo with us. And he was considerate enough to ask that the ticket woman, who was taking the picture, to make sure to get two just in case. But she wasn't

too swift and he ended up having to show her how to work my camera.

Then he thanked us for coming. He hugged me... and then he kissed me! Oh the bliss. I was floating. We said goodbye and he walked back down to the field. We resumed our places by the fence. And as we stood there chatting about our experience, he looks over at us, makes eye contact and starts waving. How great is that? I was yelling, "He knows us!", like an idiot. Eventually we got in to the reserved seating where our seats were so good that Ewan came and went past us all day at a distance of about 5 feet. I got very up-close and personal insights on the little family all day and their interactions together. Eve seemed very removed from the whole thing. However when Ewan and Eve went out on the field for the Hail to the Chieftain they were holding hands and seemed happy.

All in all...definitely the best day ever.