Random reminder

Press, 25 August 1980, Page 26

Random reminder

STERN AND WILD Karla, the sly old fox of John Le Carre’s “Tinker, Tailor. Soldier, Spy” has nothing on Mrs Thomson, of “The Press.” Mrs Thomson has been masquerading as Extremely Scottish for as long as anyone can remember, favouring an accent that might have just ■ stepped off the boat from Tannochbrae and occasionally to be seen sporting' the plaid on colder days. The gullible coworkers of her office have always taken this display of Scottishness at face value and regarded her seat in the office as a little comer of Caledonia. On winter days the more imaginative seemed to detect an aura of heather and misty moors about her, and alt agreed her heart was warm as porridge. A truly Scottish lady.

Until the arrival of the haggis, an event that showed that this seemingly harmless woman had been living a - double life. The. haggis’s owner wanted to know how to cook it, heat it, or prepare and present it. Who else to go to but the Loch Lomond of New Zealand journalist? She did not know. Not only that, : but the tartan-clad deceiver had never even tasted haggis. Shocked and outraged, the office George Smiley, investigated this hole in her story further. Under pressure the kilted? .double agent finally broke. Not only had she never tasted haggis. Not only did she not know how ;to present, haggis. She iwas born in England.