I always find interesting the differences folks exhibit in regard to acknowledging unusual things about others. Of course I am relating this directly to kilt wearing.

When I meet someone new, a few will ask after, or at least mention my kilt; not many, really, but a few. Others say nothing despite the fact I caught them doing a double take or quick once-over and I know they are curious; there are those who will glance down if I turn my head the other way intentionally just to afford them a polite gander, and who still will not say a word about it; and there are those who never seem to notice at all.

I have only seen one other kilt in this area during my last 15 years in Pittsburgh, and that was on a boy at prom time who looked quite nice. This isn't Seattle, so a kilt tends to stand out. I am told the British are quite proper and as a custom do not pry or ask much about one another. However, as Americans we are typically curious, often to the point of being rude.

Yesterday morning, the door rang. Thinking it was DHL with my expected kilt outfit from the U.K., I ran to the door and opened it to find a gentleman who introduced himself with a Scottish burr.

"Wow! NOW THIS IS SOME SERVICE!" I thought to myself. Unfortunately, he announced that he was from the gas company and only wanted to perform some routine line checks.

I asked him in, and during the course of traipsing through the house he heard Morse code playing in the back ground and shared that he was also a ham from the U.K. That in itself is pretty remarkable since ham radio is not the hobby it once was. It is rare for me to run into another radio amateur, nonetheless have one come directly to my door. Anyway, I showed him my station and we chatted briefly before he went on his way to the next house.

Now, I had answered the door wearing a kilt and nothing else. It was warm so I wasn't even wearing a shirt. Good or bad, I must have been a sight! He was obviously a friendly sort with whom I had at least a hobby in common. He obviously knows what a kilt is, and I suspect he doesn't run into them often while in the course of his duties. That he never mentioned my kilt really struck me as humorous.


Mychael