This reaction really caught me off-guard!

[azwildcat96]

So, I wore my kilt to a local arts and crafts street fair yesterday, and heard the typical comments about the kilt all day..."nice kilt", "where did you get it?", "are you scottish?", are you wearing ?"...you get the idea.

Then it happened...out of the crowd a big guy (mind you I'm 5'10" and around 225lbs., and this guy made me look small) tapped me on the shoulder from behind and asked "what company?" I thought I hadn't heard him right, and asked him to repeat what he said, and again he said "what company?" So, here I am in the middle of a crowded street, with a puzzled look on my face trying to figure out what he said/meant. I finally gave up and asked him to be more clear, and he said "I saw you wearing the kilt, and thought you were a firefighter. I was wondering which company you were a part of." I admitted that I was not a fire fighter. He complimented me on the kilt and walked on. Then I noticed the fire fighter logo on the back of his T-shirt, and it all made sense...kind-of.

So have any of you been asked this? Is it really that common for fire fighters to wear kilts, or for kilt wearers to be fire fighters? Is it something I should get used to?

[Scotcop]

That was random........at least you didn;t get a fist in the jaw when you turned around, thats what the tap on the shoulder normally means to me........lol
I have never seen a FF wearing a kilt..odd

[chasem]

I'd assume it's the link to firefighter pipe bands and/or pipes at funerals/memorials of firefighters

[Tobus]

I'm used to seeing firefighter pipe bands, but other than that, I'm unaware of any firefighter/kilt connection that would cause him to ask that.

[Bigkahuna]

Here in my neck of the woods, there are a great many "Emerald Society" pipe bands, both Police and Fire Department, so it is not unusual to associate Kilts with Cops and Firemen.

[auld argonian]

"To a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

Best

AA

[MacBean]

http://www.usakilts.com/store/ffm_kiltpage.php

[Lallans]

I submit that this is the phenomenon I submitted in an earlier thread- that people seeing a man in a traditional tartan kilt tend to think that there must be some official reason for it. I may have to get a t shirt that says either

"No, I'm not in the band," or perhaps

"Yes, I do have a kilt but No I'm not anybody"

[BoldHighlander]

I may have to get a t shirt that says either

"No, I'm not in the band,"

You know, I actually saw one like that once

[Bigkahuna]

Repeat after me, "I AM.......Somebody!!!!!"