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

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