ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- Yesterday, I stood outside a Royal & Ancient dinner and listened to the sounds of bagpipes. They were with the military, and for a moment, everything stopped. I've had many unforgettable moments in this town -- lunch in the R&A, sunrise over the North Sea, the perfect fudge doughnut in the rain -- but the ones I treasure the most are the serendipitous and seemingly random appearances of a man in a kilt with a set of pipes. I let the notes wash over me.

I love bagpipes.

I've been listening to them on iTunes this week while I write. I'm listening to them right now. When I pass a man with bagpipes out on the streets of St. Andrews, I stop and take it in. One day, I called my wife and put the piper on speakerphone.

I'll miss that sound when I leave here in 15 hours.