Left over right and under, right over left and under.
It sounds simple, it was simple.
Until the fateful moment in the searing heat of battle.
In the young warrior’s uniform of green sweatshirt – challenge badges covering one arm like the kill symbols emblazoned on the flank of a fighter ace’s cockpit – and woggle-tightened blue and yellow necker of the 1st Dunnichen pack, the glory of the Angus cubs’ skills competition was there for the taking.
Knot-tying is a forgotten skill and if you need proof then just Google slip knot to learn the term’s contemporary significance relates not to a highly versatile rope connection but to a heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa, whose trademark is chaotic live performances in horror masks.
But in 1970s Angus it was all about being prepared for tasks involving bits of braided strands, and the clincher for the cub trophy was to tie a reef knot behind your back.
Even for a primary-aged lad that was a cinch.
However, the combined glare of the spotlight and glint of silverware is a distracting thing and, with much speed and little haste, victory slipped from young Broon’s fingers and thumbs in a granny knot-creating fankle.
It would be an exaggeration to say it haunts my every day, but I thought about that cub pack catastrophe while marvelling at the cool and encyclopaedic calm of Brechin’s Ken Morland in the most daunting of settings – the Mastermind chair.
The 48-year-old energy analyst made it all the way to Friday night’s grand final of the quiz show which first aired an astonishing 46 years ago.
On his specialist subject of Indian cricket, brainbox Ken batted back a highly respectable tally to quizmaster John Humphrys to place himself firmly in contention for the general knowledge showdown.
But there the Angus dad and his fellow finalists met their match in retired librarian Brian Chesney, who delivered a devastating run of correct answers to take the spoils with an unreachable total.
It was absolutely terrific telly and Ken can rightly be immensely proud of his achievement and the way he handled the pressure in the black leather seat.
On a remarkably vast range of topics, Ken kens ya ken.
I bet he can even tie a reef knot behind his back.
