First negative reaction in over 1 1/2 years

[Earl D]

Last fall I was attending an outdoor event while kilted. While there I met a friend that is gay and as we were talking a group of young men from the local university walked past and from the group came the "Queer" comment with everyone in the group breaking out in laughter. Normally, I let such comments fly by, but I was a grouch that day and couldn't leave it alone. I remarked "Who are you calling queer?" even though I knew what the answer was going to be. The biggest guy in the group turned around, pointed at me and said "you!". My friend then shot back with a retort of his own. He said "Well, hon-it takes queer to know queer. So when did you finally come out?" The big guy turned 5 shades of red and then found himself to be the target of "gay" comments from the other members of his group. I gave my friend a "high 5" and he said "Ain't karma great? What goes around comes around."

A couple of hours later as I was leaving, one of the guys from the group approached me and commented on how great the kilt looked and asked the usual questions as to the tartans he could wear and where he could get a kilt of his own. I gave him the link to X-marks. I had to give this young man points as he did offer me an apology for his behavior and he marked it up to the pack mentality.

[Alan H]

Last fall I was attending an outdoor event while kilted. While there I met a friend that is gay and as we were talking a group of young men from the local university walked past and from the group came the "Queer" comment with everyone in the group breaking out in laughter. Normally, I let such comments fly by, but I was a grouch that day and couldn't leave it alone. I remarked "Who are you calling queer?" even though I knew what the answer was going to be. The biggest guy in the group turned around, pointed at me and said "you!". My friend then shot back with a retort of his own. He said "Well, hon-it takes queer to know queer. So when did you finally come out?" The big guy turned 5 shades of red and then found himself to be the target of "gay" comments from the other members of his group. I gave my friend a "high 5" and he said "Ain't karma great? What goes around comes around."

A couple of hours later as I was leaving, one of the guys from the group approached me and commented on how great the kilt looked and asked the usual questions as to the tartans he could wear and where he could get a kilt of his own. I gave him the link to X-marks. I had to give this young man points as he did offer me an apology for his behavior and he marked it up to the pack mentality.

That's a good story....good for that young man, for coming around and making things right.