The tale of the free drink

[The Guy in the Kilt at UC]

So I am a student in physics, and my friend organized all of us who are doing research over the summer into a bar night at a local Irish Pub. Its a little off campus so it draws an older crowd; it's very nice. I went kilted (of course) in my Galloway Hunting district tartan.

At some point in the evening I decided to get myself a Jameson. The rest of this story hinges on the fact that as I approached the bar, everyone there had their backs to me. (they didn't see the kilt)

I was raised on "please" and "thank you," and I worked in restaurants before, so I didn't think much of it when I asked, "May I please have a Jameson." The fellow next to me said in a thick Scottish accent, "THAT'S NOT HOW YOU ORDER A DRINK! You gotta say it like this..."

I told him he sounded like he was from Glasgow. He said excitedly, "That's exactly right; that's exactly right, how could you possibly know that?" At this point I saw how much he had been drinking. I told him that I knew the difference between a Glasgow accent and, say, and Aberdeen accent or one from Galloway where my family was from (once upon a time). Well he was impressed enough to pay for my drink, and after he asked again how I could know his accent. All I could say was, "Ummm..." as I looked down at my kilt, which he finally noticed.

We both had a good laugh. We talked about the tartan. He thought it was Irish, that I had said Galway earlier, and I spent a good 30 seconds trying to tell him that Galloway did not border Wales. I figured he was more advanced in the festivities of the evening. We parted, and I went back to enjoy my drink with my friend over a game of billiards.



He came later asking if I was wearing a Gordon tartan. I guess he forgot our earlier conversation. I had a private laugh. In his defense, I suppose it was dark enough to not notice the red stripe or the lack of the color blue.

[Big Mikey]

Just five words for ya............The Power of the Kilt!

[Riverkilt]

Wonder what fuzzy memories he woke up with....pondering whether there really was a guy in a kilt or not.

You never said where you got your skill at pegging accents....??

Ron

[Rex_Tremende]

Good thing someone has his wits about him!

Say, was that Arlin's?

Best,
Rex.

[ForresterModern]

Congrats on your encounter with a scot and holding your own in the kilt department.

Looks like a Murphy's Pub t-shirt to me (I think I still have one laying around here somewhere), and looks like Murphy's middle room flooring and pool table, at least as far as I can remember the place from more than 20 years ago (I drove by a couple weeks ago when I was in town for a class reunion, although I did not stop in--place did not look like it had changed a bit). And I don't recollect many other Irish pubs in the UC vicinity (I spent 14 years there in one capacity or another). I used to know Murphy's Pub inside and out as I threw darts there competitively and for fun for about 8 years or so during that time. Cannot say I recollect ever seeing a kilt in the place, so you may be the first. Thanks for the memories.

jeff :ootd:

[Nighthawk]

"...once could tell by how walked that he'd drunk more than his share..."


Great story!!

[Jack Daw]

A very nice tale. Thanks.

[KiltedCoastie]

I can't even tell the difference between Mississippi and Texas, and you can tell a dialect between Glascow and Aberdeen? Quite an ear you have. Nice kilt and Jameson--maybe because you ordered an Irish Whisky he thought you Irish.

[TexasMcGregor]

I can't even tell the difference between Mississippi and Texas, and you can tell a dialect between Glascow and Aberdeen? Quite an ear you have. Nice kilt and Jameson--maybe because you ordered an Irish Whisky he thought you Irish.

Mississippi has a totally different accent than any region of Texas. In fact, the two are as different as Louisiana and Boston.

Reminds me of my second kilted outing. I had just gotten my first kilt, a Rob Roy, and a good friend was getting married. They had a private wedding and a big reception, casual dress. I sent her an e-mail warning her that I was wearing my kilt, just to give her the chance to tell me not to.

The reception was held at the Balinese Ballroom on the Galveston Seawall. The manager on duty, liked the kilt and came over and started talking to me. He was a Fraiser and liked the fact that I wore my kilt so much that he bought me a scotch. Oddly enough, the only scotch they had was Clan MacGregor. The waitresses loved the kilt as well.

The historic Balinese is gone forever now, one of many things that were lost to Ike. If you live anywhere that is subject to the fury of Mother Nature, visit those old famous landmarks while you can.

[GMan]

I have noticed with me any way, that free drinks are cyclical.

The cycle is about to come up again.