For sixteen and a half years Gordon MacKenzie has driven the daily Shiel Bus service from Kilchoan to Fort William and back, leaving from the Ferry Stores at 7.50am, or thereabouts, and arriving back at some time after 3.30pm depending on how many messages there were to deliver and whether he had to go down to Kilmory or not.
He's done his job with infinite patience and great good humour. He's also done many of us many favours, from collecting things from Fort William to making deliveries - such as punctured tyres to Shiel Garage.
We've had many memorable trips with him, like the one shown in this picture when we'd been to Jamaica on a holiday which was delayed for three days by an Icelandic ash cloud. As usual, we'd asked what had happened in the village during our absence, to be told, as usual, "Not much".
All this good cheer and goodwill has earned him a rich reward: he's been appointed to the new Adelphi distillery at Glenbeg. Gordon plays for Kilchoan FC, so he already has an association with the distiller through the team strip. For a man who enjoys both football and a dram, his new job must be nothing short of a transfer to heaven.
Well done Gordon, you did a great job, always courteous and cheery,good luck in your new job, you will be missed. go easy on the Drams at Adelphi!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWith my family and friends I have been visiting Ardnamurchan for many years and we have enjoyed some superb holidays. Part of that enjoyment has been the numerous return trips that I have made to Fort William on Gordon's bus. I have always marveled at the way he looked after not just his passengers from the school children right up to those who were last at school some years ago but also many on the peninsular who perhaps not on the bus relied upon him for that little delivery. People like Gordon are what makes a community. I hope he really enjoys his new job. Looking forward to visiting the new distillery.
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