It's strange the things that can spark memories and even crossover in places. Many moons ago I worked with a guy who was English and struggled to come to terms with some of the Scottish every day language. He comes to mind now and again because last I heard he was working for Caterpillar in Australia. Just by chance my walks take me by a Caterpillar plant near home and that sparks that memory. I'm not sure if he is there still. I left Facebook about 4 years ago and at that timd as well as having just come through a very horrendous time he was also engaged to be married. But I left Facebook and left all the people on it so those old memories still feel current.
Anyway the other day I heard a Scottish musician refer to someone as having a head "like a bag of messages". Outside of Scotland that doesn't make sense. That took me back to my old colleague. The term "messages" annoyed him. He was staying with a couple for a bit and the woman asked if he could "help with the messages". This bemused him but he went along with it. He was further bemused when he discovered it was actually to help bring in bags of shopping. So he asked me about it: why? I'd been brought up with the expression and had never questioned it. When he posed that though I started to see why it annoyed him. It does make no sense. I've no idea where it comes from but it's still widely in use today. Strange one.
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