Just another weekend

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

In keeping with Graham's chronicles of wearing the kilt anywhere, I thought I would share our weekend.

It started out on Saturday morning with a workout at the YMCA. Our 2 daughters are in daycare at the Y while my wife and I work out. Nothing unusual as I was in shorts when we went to the Y and while I worked out. After showering, I put on my SW nighstalker and then went to get the girls from daycare. As I was passing the workout room, a lady came out and turned in front of me. She was also on her way to get her son from daycare and did not look directly at me. At the daycare, she signed her son out and got ready to leave. I did no hear if her son said something, but she turned around and looked at me and said "You ARE wearing a kilt, I thought I just saw wrong and needed another cup of coffee!" I did not really have any response, although I did say that she was correct that I was wearing a kilt, but had to laugh.

Next we went to an open house for the local fire house. This is an annual event where they bring sponsors, like for smoke detectors, local gas company, etc. to promote the fire department and fire safety. Fairly large get together, and since we got there almost at the beginning, some people were wondering about the kilt. Most people were fine, enjoyed answering our questions about fire, smoke detectors, etc., and ignored the kilt, except for two people (both working booths) that asked where my pipes were! Now up to this point, that is the first time I have been asked that question. I have seen others say it is a common question, but I truly found myself put out and insulted! The question, in both cases, seemed to indicate that only a piper could wear a kilt, or if not a piper, then the wearer would have a good explanation for wearing a kilt. Maybe both individuals were hoping to get an answer to "the question" but both came across as rude and inconsiderate.

Anyway, they had a portable fireman's pole there which both of my daughters was the greatest thing going. They both climbed the steps 4-5 times to slide down the pole. While I was waiting for them to slide down and come back to the steps to climb up again, a gentleman wearing a professional camera approached me (5 minutes of fame I am heading your way!). He asked for my oldest daughters name (he had taken her picture sliding down the pole), and let me now that she might be in the paper wednesday or friday. Just goes to show that a cute 4 year old beats out a xx year old in a kilt any day for news!

Finally, we were getting ready to leave (after a cool fire demonstration where they burned down 2 simulated apartments!), and we all had to use the restroom. While I was waiting outside for my wife and daughters, an older lady (maybe 60+?) approached me (who we had seen earlier manning the 911 demo booth), and asked if I were Irish I responded that I was not, but that I was (likely) of Welsh descent. She said "Oh!" and then followed up with "You look handsome!"! Best experience since I put on the kilt. No subterfuge or snide remarks, just her own opinion of how I looked. I wish everybody could do this, even if they did not like the look, but could say so in an objective manner!

Damn, another mile long post and I did not even include going kilted to "Disney on Ice" on Sunday! Although, given the number of people and kids, my wearing a kilt was probably in 99th place!

RJI

[Graham]

I love these everyday stories, I love the challenge of doing everything possible kilted, and doing it in such a way that it seems natural to be done kilted.

On the way to the hike on Sunday a lady in a shop asked me where we were going, I said Cradle Mountain!, she said "what are you doing there?" surprised, I replied - hiking, same as everyone else. (that's the main thing people DO there).

Her question only dawned on me when she said "oh, I mean I thought there some some event there".

I have almost forgotten that I must look like I'm going somewhere different.

[GMan]

I came back from a City Council meeting tonight. No comments at all. Plenty of smiles and thumbs up, but not a word.

[jfellrath]

Most people were fine, enjoyed answering our questions about fire, smoke detectors, etc., and ignored the kilt, except for two people (both working booths) that asked where my pipes were! Now up to this point, that is the first time I have been asked that question. I have seen others say it is a common question, but I truly found myself put out and insulted! The question, in both cases, seemed to indicate that only a piper could wear a kilt, or if not a piper, then the wearer would have a good explanation for wearing a kilt. Maybe both individuals were hoping to get an answer to "the question" but both came across as rude and inconsiderate.

My favorite way to deal with such folks is to look at them like they're nuts. Then when they ask why I'm wearing the kilt is to simply say "I like it." That makes them stop and try to wrangle their narrow world views around that fact. It's fun when the smoke starts to come out of their ears.

Anyway, they had a portable fireman's pole there which both of my daughters was the greatest thing going. They both climbed the steps 4-5 times to slide down the pole. While I was waiting for them to slide down and come back to the steps to climb up again, a gentleman wearing a professional camera approached me (5 minutes of fame I am heading your way!). He asked for my oldest daughters name (he had taken her picture sliding down the pole), and let me now that she might be in the paper wednesday or friday. Just goes to show that a cute 4 year old beats out a xx year old in a kilt any day for news!

God, I thought you were going to say "and then I went down it!" All I could think was NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

[macwilkin]

Next we went to an open house for the local fire house. This is an annual event where they bring sponsors, like for smoke detectors, local gas company, etc. to promote the fire department and fire safety. Fairly large get together, and since we got there almost at the beginning, some people were wondering about the kilt. Most people were fine, enjoyed answering our questions about fire, smoke detectors, etc., and ignored the kilt, except for two people (both working booths) that asked where my pipes were! Now up to this point, that is the first time I have been asked that question. I have seen others say it is a common question, but I truly found myself put out and insulted! The question, in both cases, seemed to indicate that only a piper could wear a kilt, or if not a piper, then the wearer would have a good explanation for wearing a kilt. Maybe both individuals were hoping to get an answer to "the question" but both came across as rude and inconsiderate.

Remember where you were, though: a fire house. Given the national media coverage after 9/11 that showed police and fire pipe bands and individual pipers playing at funerals of fallen police officers and fire fighters, I can see why someone would ask where your pipes were, and also the comment about being "Irish", since there are large numbers of Irish-Americans who work in both professions in large cities like New York and Chicago.

Cheers ,

Todd

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

...God, I thought you were going to say "and then I went down it!" All I could think was NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

Jamie, I actually did have that same funny vision as I was standing there watching the kids slide down. Probably would have been a little too much "exposure" for the folks in attendance.

Todd, I had not really thought of it in that light, although both of the gentlemen, but IMO the way the questions was asked in both cases was with a kind of leering tone.

RJI

[macwilkin]

Todd, I had not really thought of it in that light, although both of the gentlemen, but IMO the way the questions was asked in both cases was with a kind of leering tone.

Oops, just re-read your mesaage and saw the part about their "tone" -- that's too bad. Were they firemen, or just members of the general public?

T.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Oops, just re-read your mesaage and saw the part about their "tone" -- that's too bad. Were they firemen, or just members of the general public?

T.

T, they were both manning booths. Forget which ones. I did have a nice conversation with another gentleman that I did not mention. The girls were touring one of the support vehicles and he asked me if I attended the local Hihgland games. I explained that we were new to the area, but would like to next year and that we had enjoyed the recent Celtic festival where there were some Highland games. Had a nice chat about this and that, then the kids were done and we continued on our way. A very nice, normal conversation.

RJI