Need to know how polite you are to people who are....curious

[ploptoken]

Latest fun in public:

On the way home from the local Highland Games this weekend, my wife, twins and I stopped at the grocery store to get our weekly supplies. I have been trying to wear a kilt as often as possible, so i don't really think about other people never having seen a large bearded man in a kilt before.

While chit-chatting with some friends we bumped into, my buddy says, "I think those girls are trying to sneak your picture. They've circled about 6 times and stop at the end of the isle until you move."

About 5 minutes later the two early teen girls walk up to my wife and ask if they can take a picture of me. My wife defers the question to me. I agree because they asked. So now i am searching the web each night to see if it pops up on a cheezburger site. lol

[Stoo]

"Good girls don't ask...
Bad girls find out for themselves..."

[Geniepants]

I had a funny one last weekend, and I didn't even have to say a thing. I was visiting family in St Louis, and went across the Missouri River to St Charles where they have an area with small, local shops (including a celtic shop called Thistle and Clover)

I went down about a block to an English shop run by a husband and wife that are actually English. Well, they had some kilt stuff in the back, so I picked up a set of sporran straps. The wife had no idea what they were, and her husband was like, "We've had these for two years!" Anyways, they then started talking about the Tartan Day Festival that was kicking off the next day, and the wife warned me that it was going to be windy and people might find out if it's true what's under there. The husband turned to her and said, "It's a kilt. If he wore underwear, it'd be a dress." I was smiling quite a bit at this point, and managed not to burst out laughing.

As to other situations, I usually go with the light hearted jokes, or sometimes I'll go with "Only my wife knows for sure, and she ain't telling."

[Eric D Scott]

At a family wedding many years ago (I think I was just out of my teens), my aunt of all people asked if I was traditional, and without missing a beat, I said go ahead and check ... Wrong words to a woman who used to change your diapers ... She quickly found out, but I don't know which one of us was more red afterwords!

Otherwise, I always seem to be asked at least once every time I put on my kilt and being in a band that's quite a lot during the summer months, but kindly use friendly phrases to the question of "what's worn under your kilt?" "Well nothing silly, it's all in working order!" Or "well my shoes are" ....

Generally though, if the person is polite, I treat them the same, kilted or not.

[Paul Furlong]

Like most people around here I try to tailor my responses to the person asking. Although my responses are generally coy and sarcastic However, my close friends have gotten tired of my sarcastic remarks and started looking for themselves. I feel like I should explain I am in college and a theatre major so we all get pretty close working in to the wee hours of the morning. Has anyone else had similar experiences with close friends?

[Chainsaw02]

This may not be the most appropriate response nor the acceptable among the majority here but I just give an honest answer and that usually catches the questioner off guard and shuts them up. I am not ashamed nor embaressed. If they don't like my frank answer I don't give a poop.

Larry Dirr

[Manxstralian]

The thing that gets the most attention is my ears. I have 3/4" holes through each lobe. Usually in public some girl, mostly girls, few guys will do this, will try to stick there finger through the jewelry in my ear. For some reason they believe i've given up the right to personal space.

Years ago I was in the same position, although I always got asked for permission first (maybe Australians are more polite) and my standard response was "If you stick your finger through my ear, I get to put my hand in your mouth". Only one person out of the hundreds that asked took me up on the deal.... which was awkward for everyone involved.

And as far as "the question", I always answer "underwear or a foreskin, you get to decide". If it's a man, they'll generally think about for a second, wince, and walk away.

Regards,

Cameron

[t_challa]

I'm new to kilt wearing, so at the moment I play along and always give a coy answer; it's usually girls that ask "what's underneath" so it's always good to let them wonder. I usually answer with "that's privileged information" or "what do you think?".

As a black guy, the two most common questions i've been asked are "are you Scottish?" (which i'm not) and "why are you wearing a kilt" (to which I always answer "why not wear a kilt")

[SJCurrence]

I usually reply, "it is a kilt, if I was wearing anything under it, it would be a skirt."

[adempsey10]

The first time I wore my kilt to work everyone ragged on me about wearing a 'skirt', not in a malevolent way though. That same day, we had some major clients in who brought catered lunch for all the production staff (that includes me) for all the fine work we'd done. There were owners of other companies and some of their employees, a few were young attractive ladies. My boss, during the lunch, introduced us all to the clients. When it came to me, my boss (the owner of the company) introduced me as "Alan, the guy in the skirt". In my own recalcitrant way, I nodded and then stood and said, "Oh where are my manners?," in a feminine voice and then curtsied in front of everyone. After that, everyone seemed to realize that I was confident in my dress (pardon the pun) and now it never gets mentioned.

So the short of it is that I handle question and comments as humourously as possible (self-deprecating humour has always been my favourite, ala Bill Shatner) and with as much respect and courtesy as I am shown from the curious person.

As far as the under the kilt question goes, it depends. At the bar, I use it to get free drinks from curious ladies:

"Are you wearing underwear?
"If I am, I'll buy you a drink, if I'm not, you buy mine"

Otherwise, I just be honest about it.