Questions people ask

[Rogerson785]

I was asked by stranded airline passengers how long the delay was going to be in Ohio, only because I was wearing a very similar suit the pilots and staff were wearing. I said I do not know I am in the same line you are standing in. I had no airline ID, just a nice suite and tie, the women standing with me said I should take the tie off, but I doubt you could have taken off your kilt, one does not dress down to accommodate the public’s perception.

[auld argonian]

It's amazing how just wearing a shirt and tie in this age of "casual-ity" can make people think that you're an authority figure.

There was a great story that I read in an interview with a photographer named Anthony Edgeworth who had problems at work because of just such a thing.

Mr. Edgeworth had been in the USMC and was an old school kind of guy when he went into professional photography back in the early 1970's. He knew that the had to learn the business and "pay his dues", so he started out as a studio assistant to an established photographer. Being who and what he was, Edgeworth showed up for work in a jacket and necktie...for him, casual meant wearing a cardigan sweater with a necktie and that was it. This being the early '70's, everybody around him was running around in t-shirts and jeans being conspicuously "hip". So when the clients showed up and started looking around to find "the boss", guess who they went to every time? Edgeworth. Apparently this caused the real boss some little embarrassment and got Edgeworth into a bit of hot water.

(Edgeworth went on to do a couple of books that some of you might be interested in; one on the USMC and one on the British Guard units. You may find these somewhere out there on Amazon or Fetchbooks because they're out of print but apparently much sought after.)

Anyway...obviously the kilt just exudes AUTHORITY...the woman made the assumption that you were in charge!

Best

AA

[JS Sanders]

And the countless occasions standing by kilted in full dress with pipes hanging from my arm and some numpty asks, "Do you know how to play those?".

Heeerrrreee's your sign.....

Slainte,
steve

[haukehaien]

And the countless occasions standing by kilted in full dress with pipes hanging from my arm and some numpty asks, "Do you know how to play those?".

Heeerrrreee's your sign.....

Slainte,
steve

My absolute favorite piping question was at a summer camp one time. I was down by the volleyball courts, piping for one of the teams from our cabin, when I noticed a girl standing nearby with an "I-have-a-question-for-you" look on her face. When I finished the tune, she came up, put her hand on the bag, and said "I've got a question. Are those real bagpipes?"

I thought, "You just heard them and you're touching them - what possible definition of 'real' could you have that wouldn't be answered by those facts?"

I was so surprised that I almost didn't answer, but finally got out, "Yes, yes they are." That seemed to make her happy, so she took a picture of me and went off, and I struck up a new tune.

[beowulf67]

My absolute favorite piping question was at a summer camp one time. I was down by the volleyball courts, piping for one of the teams from our cabin, when I noticed a girl standing nearby with an "I-have-a-question-for-you" look on her face. When I finished the tune, she came up, put her hand on the bag, and said "I've got a question. Are those real bagpipes?"

I thought, "You just heard them and you're touching them - what possible definition of 'real' could you have that wouldn't be answered by those facts?"

I was so surprised that I almost didn't answer, but finally got out, "Yes, yes they are." That seemed to make her happy, so she took a picture of me and went off, and I struck up a new tune.

That's funny.

On St. Pat's I had a woman come up to me and ask "Is that a real kilt?"
I replied, "No, it's imaginary. You've had too much to drink."

[SportBilly]

That's funny.

On St. Pat's I had a woman come up to me and ask "Is that a real kilt?"
I replied, "No, it's imaginary. You've had too much to drink."

That's my kind of answer!

[Nighthawk]

Where the heck is that :beatingheadonwall: smiley?

[Coinneach]

Stopped in to a pharmacy on my way home from a ceremony dressed like this:



A woman walks up to me and asks "Do you work here?"

I have had people not notice the kilt from time to time...usually when I'm wearing a t-shirt with some saying on it. My other half will come up and ask, "commenting on the kilt?" and the other person looks down and says, "oh, you're wearing a kilt!"

Ah, the entertainment of living among the distracted.

[JS Sanders]

Haukehaien,
And another moronic inquiry....

"You mean, songs other than Amazing Grace can be played on the bagpipes?!"

Yep - I've heard that "Are those bagpipes real?" question many times as well - mostly from adults.

Heeerrrreee's your sign.....

Slainte,
steve

[Finn]

Historic Reenactors get many such questions. One posted in Smoke & Fire News a few years back was: Is that a real fire? <pointing at the flames cooking lunch/dinner>