The union sent a dictionary to his home. It arrived addressed to
Brandon Lee when Brian and his mother were out. As it was too big to go
through the letter box the postman left it with a neighbour.
Some friends I had made at school came looking for me. They met the
neighbour and asked if she knew where Brandon was. The neighbour replied
that she thought they were being hoodwinked.
A PACKAGE from Dundee University was the beginning of the end for
Brian MacKinnon's double life as a 17-year-old schoolboy. Having passed
himself off as Brandon Lee for a year at Bearsden Academy he believed
the most dangerous part of his ruse was over.
However, half way through mid-term he was at an anatomy lecture in the
university when members of the Medical and Dental Defence Union of
Scotland arrived to canvas students and offered a free medical
dictionary to all those who joined.
''There was a pile of dictionaries on the table,'' said Brian, ''but
not enough for everyone. I couldn't be bothered going down to get one,
there was a bit of a rush, but they said everyone who didn't would be
sent one.''
Brian gave no further thought to the dictionary, but true to its word
the union sent one to his home. It arrived addressed to Brandon Lee when
Brian and his mother were out. As it was too big to go through the
letter box, the postman left it with a neighbour.
''The neighbour came to the door with the parcel addressed to Brandon
and of course she didn't have a clue who Brandon was,'' added Brian.
''Shortly after some of the friends I had made at school came to the
door looking for me when we were out. They met the neighbour somehow and
asked if she knew where Brandon was.
''The neighbour replied that she thought they were being hoodwinked.
And said that my name was in fact Brian MacKinnon and I was in fact
25-years-old. At least this is how what she said was later reported to
me by the girls.
''I really don't know how the thing got out at first but I can only
imagine that the parcel and that conversation with my friends was the
catalyst for real gossip.''
As a result, one of Brian's friends later challenged him about his
identity. He recounted the conversation as reported to him and asked
Brian if it was true that he was not Brandon Lee. He denied it.
''I told him that I had a cousin called Brian MacKinnon and there must
have been confusion between the two of us.'' The explanation was
accepted on the surface but Brian believed that his friends knew.
''There seemed to be a tacit understanding that it was not a subject
we would cover again. But deep down I felt that they were aware I
foresaw the prospect of my being unable to keep the lid on things.''
Now that is all over and he can step back, Brian says although he has
regrets he can hold his head up high.
''Within myself I believe that I am fundamentally a sound and capable
individual. In so far as I am able I give my trust and goodwill to
everyone.
''Although I have experienced guilt pangs over the action that I felt
compelled to take -- the old rationale of the ends justifying the means
does not hold water -- I am nevertheless not entirely ashamed that I had
the gumption to try and overcome a gross injustice by standing on my own
two feet and not merely capitulating on my knees.''
These attempts at overcoming what he perceived as an injustice, had
taken him to Dundee University, where things started going wrong.
Brian's mother had decided she wanted a change of scene and would stay
with him while at university. They lived in a rented flat, changing
later to a hotel because it was not suitable.
However, costs were far greater than they had budgeted for and the
sale of some property did not go as smoothly as expected leaving them
drastically short of available funds.
''We couldn't afford to live there and pay the fees. It was
devastating but we had to come back to Glasgow,'' said Brian.
''I couldn't at this stage give up after all I had come through so I
wrote to the university telling them I had run out of money and also
saying my grandmother had died suddenly. I told them she had been paying
for the course but I was expecting some money from her estate, but that
would take some time and could I take a year out. The grandmother thing
was a lie but it was the only way I could think of to cover the
situation.''
Brian and his mother moved back to Bearsden and towards the final
incident which would result in his being unmasked. He had not entirely
lost touch with friends when at university and now back in Glasgow the
friendships continued in a casual fashion.
Most were away from school and Brian would occasionally be invited out
for a pizza or a movie. He always went with a group and there was never
any romantic relationships. The question of his identity was never
mentioned at this time.
In February 1995 he went to a party with the group and one of the
girls suggested that he join her and another girl on holiday in Tenerife
during the summer.
''I was aware they were much younger. This girl and I got on very well
despite our age difference, but I certainly had no romantic designs on
her, I thought it would be harmless and I didn't have any holiday plans.
On reflection I now realise that it was a monumental mistake on my part.
''But even then I foresaw the need for a restful few weeks before
returning to restart medicine at Dundee. I was living under considerable
strain.''
Brian's deception would have been impossible to hold together during
the complicated and legally exacting process of booking a holiday and
leaving the country. He did not attempt to travel as Brandon Lee.
When the holiday was booked he sat in the travel agents beside one of
the girls and gave his real name. He had become sufficiently confident
in the belief that his friends already knew the truth to allow him to
drop his guard.
''I only have one passport in my real name. I have never had two
passports. There was no way I could go on holiday unless I used my real
name. When I was in the travel agents I didn't make any fuss about it or
announce who I was with bravado. When I was asked I just quietly said my
name was Brian MacKinnon.''
Brian shared a flat on holiday with three girls in the Tenerife resort
of Playa de Las Americas. At first things went well. He didn't go to
clubs and contrary to press reports did not get involved in a bar
incident or arrested by the police.
''I was in a bar just once during the week I was in Tenerife, he said.
And I only had one drink. All this stuff about fights and arrests would
be laughable if it wasn't so distressing. It has taken a terrible toll
on my mother and not a single word of it is true.''
Things did go badly wrong, however, early on in the holiday. There had
been tension between Brian and one of the girls, not a close friend,
which was becoming hard for him to deal with. ''I don't know why but she
was giving me a really hard time.''
''It boiled over one night when they returned from dinner one night.
Some extremely boisterous English lads were staying in the room next
door and had come to borrow washing up liquid during the day.
''When the four friends returned to their flat they found it had been
foamed up and was all over the patio door in their room. The girls
became upset and wanted to go next door and remonstrate.''
Said Brian: ''I didn't want that to happen. These guys had been
drinking since they arrived and anything could have happened. I was
worried that they would have reacted violently. I stopped the girls
going to their room.
''I shouted, 'you mustn't do that, you must be crazy', there is no way
of knowing how these guys will react. They have been drinking. I did not
physically stop them, but it briefly became a real shouting match.
''During that one of the girls said 'act your age, I know I am', it
was clear to me what she meant. One of the girls became very upset and
she stormed off.''
The next day the atmosphere was tense and although Brian tried to make
the peace it was to no avail. ''I told them I was going for a walk but I
went to the travel agents and booked the first available flight home.
''I knew I had it as far as Brandon Lee was concerned. There was bad
feeling and I sensed my story was no longer held in trust.
''I came back from holiday on August 8 and two weeks later I received
a recorded delivery letter from the rector of Bearsden Academy asking me
if I could clear up a discrepancy in my records which might otherwise
affect my future in higher education. He wanted me to prove I was
Brandon Lee. I couldn't.''
Ironically Brian's ruse had come to an end just when it seemed he was
on the home straight. There had been no problems throughout Brian's
school year. It seemed to go fairly smoothly.
On reflection he feels his popularity was a by-product of the school
year but worthwhile. ''I was never trying to recreate my original
schooldays. I was popular enough the first time and got very good grades
but in fact I didn't really enjoy my last two years at school.
''Work moved slowly and I had been unable to do one of the subjects I
wanted to do. When I went back as Brandon Lee I wasn't trying to be
popular.''
Despite the success of the school year Brian did not jump for joy when
it was over. ''There was no feeling of elation as I finished school.
There was certainly a sense of happiness and relief. I'm not subject to
strong emotion, but the thing I wanted was starting to come closer.
''I had been for interview at Dundee towards the end of December 1993
and I didn't get accepted immediately, obviously I had to wait until my
higher results came out. The interview was nerve wracking but it went as
well as I could possibly have hoped.
''Higher results came out in August and I got five A's, but I knew
that was not the end of it because I had the whole Dundee thing to go
through.
''I had to be accepted, my feeling was that I would meet with an even
more intense astuteness and curiosity. That was my supposition and the
last thing that would have served me well was to become overly self
assured.
''In the summer I had a holiday in Canada and other holidays away with
a friend from outside the school. We went fishing. I think I also went
away with my mum, so much of the holiday was taken up with travel.
''By that time people from school had my phone number and I got the
occasional call. People would ask to go to a movie, always in groups of
people. While I was still in this mileau, my purpose was not to appear
as suddenly changed and become too conspicious by disappearing.
''I think that rationale was borne out later when I left the
university and people were knocking on my door. People are curious . . .
especially younger people. The way I acted towards people then without
keeping them entirely at arms length, not to make them suspicious. I
think my rationale was borne out.
''At Dundee University it was a bit easier, it was less of a trauma,
yes. Finally it seemed as though I was getting somewhere with what I
wanted to, whereas at school it seemed like I still had a precarious
mountain climb ahead of me. I never became complacent, there was most
certainly a risk at unie.
''And one of the other students whom I met in the queue to matriculate
said something about mature students which seemed to reflect that I was
one. Whether he sensed this from the way I appeared, spoke, or acted, I
don't know. Anyway I deflected the conversation on to something else.''
[CPYR] Caledonian Newspapers Ltd 1995 and Brian MacKinnon 1995. All
right reserved. No part of the material on this page may be recorded or
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