Kilted at the shelter, NEVER AGAIN!

**hospitaller** · 30th January 09, 01:08 PM

Unless you live in mars, you should know about the massive ice storm that affected several states earlier this week, and which still has several hundreds of thousands of people without power.

Well, wife and I were one of those people, lost power on Tuesday night, and we finally got it back this morning.

So, it was either stay home and freeze, go to a hotel or go to a shelter.

Freeze at home was a NO-NO
Go to a hotel was a NO CAN'T DO

So, go to a shelter was the choice. (forced mind you)

And well, being that I am kilted daily, I didn't think any of it so we went to the shelter...me kilted.

I will say it was the worst 48 hours I've ever spent anywhere, either the people there thought I was the entertainment or they simply figured what the heck, let's all make fun of the guy in the kilt anyway.

A nice assortment of people of all colors, political views, ages, sexes and even social status.

All united in their efforts to ridicule me.

Oh well, hopefully they are still without power in the shelter while we were finally able to go home.

**Kerr the Walker** · 30th January 09, 01:35 PM

Glad you guys made it ok and were able to return home.

Amazing how a little adversity can affect people. Sometimes it makes people band together to help eachother out, and other times it can make it feel like high school all over again.

**HeathBar** · 30th January 09, 01:47 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I have a cousin who lives near Louisville, that no ones heard from since it hit.

Do you think that you would have gotten the same reaction from these folks if the situation had been different? Living in those situations probably brings out the worst in people.

Fear not...that which does not kill you, only makes you stronger.

**Nighthawk** · 30th January 09, 01:47 PM

Ah, great to hear how the human race pulls together in times of need. Good to hear you're OK and back home, man.

**cessna152towser** · 30th January 09, 02:12 PM

No I don't live on Mars and I had not heard about the ice storm till you posted this.
Sorry to hear that the people you met in the shelter were unfriendly, my experience of wearing the kilt is that it generates a lot of goodwill and friendliness, sounds like you got really unlucky and got in with some no brainers who would have been rude whatever you wore.

**hospitaller** · 30th January 09, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by cessna152towser

No I don't live on Mars and I had not heard about the ice storm till you posted this.
Sorry to hear that the people you met in the shelter were unfriendly, my experience of wearing the kilt is that it generates a lot of goodwill and friendliness, sounds like you got really unlucky and got in with some no brainers who would have been rude whatever you wore.

Yes, well, no offense to anyone but, at least in my area, the majority of the people that needs to go shelters are of the sort you mentioned.

I'm sure you're familiar with the term 'hillbillies', well, it mostly applies to the original Scottish settlers that arrived in Kentucky and Tennessee, and I'll tell ya...judging by their merciless ribbing, their modern day descendants have no clue about their roots.

But as someone mentioned above, now we're home and worse things have happened.

Thanks!

**CelticRanger66** · 30th January 09, 03:24 PM

All I can say is that episode is what we in Virginia call a character building experience...

**hospitaller** · 30th January 09, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by CelticRanger66

All I can say is that episode is what we in Virginia call a character building experience...

Absolutely, having to care for a sick wife and then lose power for 2 days is a character building experience where I came from as well.

**Keith A** · 30th January 09, 04:14 PM

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I hope your wife is doing better. It is a sad thing to hear how people can be so rotten, in times of trouble. I remember, working through the World Trade Center how NYC just came together, and then just a few years after the big East Coast black out. I was working in one of the worst areas of NYC and people just took it as a time to stay out and have impromptu BBQ'S on the sidewalk. It had all the ingredients to be a nightmare but instead,
it was kind of fun. So it sad to hear the your neighbors turned out to be so much less then good members of the human family.

**BroosterB1** · 30th January 09, 05:23 PM

At times like those I give thanks for my camping supplies and fire place. Several years ago we lost power for the better part of a week, but we managed with the aid of Colman camp stoves, fireplace, tent heaters and lots of quilts. The other saving grace was we did have hot water as the gas never was interrupted.

Unfortunately you were the receiving end of the spotted rat syndrome; when all the rats are the same color, the spotted rat gets picked on. We can be either really great, or drop to the lowest denominator, which happened to you.

On the other side, a whole lot of people got to see a kilted man for two days, which is more than they probably see in years. Under some of those jokes and comments probably ran some unvoiced respect. What goes around comes around; what you put out, you get back. Someday, someone may say something like they were amazed by how you were so calm, or how you took it so well.