My Impromptus today is a Glasgow journal — and I’m not talkin’ Kentucky. Care for some reader mail?

A reader writes,

Jay,
. . . You may find yourself deluged over your passing reference to the Rangers Football Club. Its rivalry with the Celtic Football Club is legendary, even exceeding the rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. . . . It’s all related to the large number of Irish emigrants in Glasgow.
I’m currently watching a 1980s crime series set in Glasgow called “Taggart.” I use closed captioning and have learned it’s not a reliable guide to what’s being said. The captioner may be an American, missing some local phrases. Luckily, I grew up reading Kipling and George MacDonald Fraser . . .

A reader writes,

Jay,
Love Scotland. My roots are Fraser, Reid, and MacKenzie. I prefer Edinburgh, but Glasgow, the “Second City of the Empire,” is wonderful.
My favorite song about Glasgow is one I first heard sung by Alan Cumming, who explains the meaning of phrases such as “the Billy and the Tim” (Protestants and Catholics).

The song in question is “Mother Glasgow” — whose lyrics begin,

In the Second City of the Empire
Mother Glasgow watches all her weans
Trying hard to feed her little starlings
Unconsciously she clips their little wings
Mother Glasgow’s succor is perpetual
Nestling the Billy and the Tim
I dreamt I took a dander with St. Mungo
To try to catch a fish that couldnay swim

A reader writes,

Jay,
. . . Despite being surrounded as a child by my nana’s family from Bo’ness, I have never been to Scotland. It’s finally happening this coming summer.
We’ll start in Glasgow, which is also, by the way, home to both the Scottish Ballet and the National Piping Centre. I am studying the bagpipes. And Glasgow is home to my tutor, Roddy MacLeod (MBE) — marvels of the Internet age.
I “take tuition,” as they say, from Roddy every few weeks via Zoom. I am learning the art of piobaireachd from the best. He’s an incredibly accomplished piper who’s down-to-earth. A good soul with a sharp wit.

A reader writes,

My husband and I go to Glasgow whenever we can. Brunch at the Counting House on George Square is amazing. The record stores are great.

Ah, record stores! I remember them. Incidentally, this lady is from Alpine, Texas, which she describes as “really in the middle of nowhere.” (But there are mountains, as befits an “Alpine.”)

A reader writes,

When you have some down time, you may want to watch one of my favorite videos featuring a Scottish cyclist named Danny MacAskill. A delight.

Oh, yes, a total delight. For “Danny MacAskill’s Wee Day Out,” go here.

And my thanks to one and all readers.