She made my day saying I made hers

[kilted_brewer]

I was riding the Metro (DC subway) to work just now, seated next to one of the exit doors in my car, wearing my favorite olive UK original, hiking boots and standard issue blue button down oxford shirt. A woman who was maybe 10-15 years older than I pulled my attention from the book I was reading to say in a lovely Scottish accent that she liked my "working kilt."

I thanked her, and she went on to say that she was listening to an Alexander McCall Smith book on her iPod, and so was in the midst of Edinburgh, and that seeing me in a kilt made it feel all the more like she was there.

She asked if I got the kilt here in the US, and I told her yes, it was from a Seattle company called Utilikilts. She asked if I had a tartan one as well, and I said I was working on it but that of course they were quite a bit more expensive (meaning the hand-sewn wool tank made in Scotland, of course; I know where my next inexpensive tartan kilt is coming from, Rocky!). She agreed, and said that in any case ones like I had on were probably more practical (didn't dispute it with her). By this time we were both smiling, and she asked what kind of reception I usually got in it, and I said usually a lot like the one I was getting from her, then she said, "Well, thanks, you've made my day!"

And of course I told her that she'd made mine! What a nice way to start the day!

[Warlock]

Congrats! Truely a great way to start the day!

[cessna152towser]

An excellent start to the working day.

[McMurdo]

That sounds like a great way to start your day. Hope the rest of it is just as good.

[Robin]

That's indeed a great start of the day

[GMan]

Those are the best comments!

[Alan H]

Wht a nice interaction. That would make my day, too....

[SnakeEyes]

I've actually been wondering what the usual "Scottish Reaction" to a solid-colour kilt has been. Is this generally how it goes or are there any bad experiences?

[canawler]

I've actually been wondering what the usual "Scottish Reaction" to a solid-colour kilt has been. Is this generally how it goes or are there any bad experiences?

This may be the normal reaction but last year, at a Highland games, I saw an older Scottish lady go ballistic on the crew and customers at a Utilikilts booth. It was kind of amusing and scary at the same time. She was going on about how these weren't kilts, they had no business being at an event like this, those that sold or wore them were despicable human beings, she wanted to burn the whole booth, etc. It reminded me of someone who has been bothered by this for years and kept it all inside until she snapped. The guys at the UK booth had no idea how to take this rant. I think they originally thought it has a prank but quickly took her seriously. Someone ran to get security but the woman moved on before they arrived. Don't know if they ever found her later.

[Riverkilt]

Funny, being a tourist area we get a lot of folks from Scotland visiting the canyonlands. A number of them have approached me when I'm wearing a Utilikilt with sincere curiosity about where to get such a "work kilt."

Have always thought that even though UK insists what they make isn't meant to be a Scottish kilt, that they might have a huge, overlooked market in Scotland.

Ron