Underwear....or not

[kiltedtom]

Concerning this returning question, I wish I had more choices. In my younger days, there were times I would not wear underwear. There were two major exceptions: either a) I was not at work, where underwear was required, or b) not visiting with my family; my mother would have "died of embarrassment" if she thought I was not being a "proper gentleman." Even at 81 years of age, she likes to remind me that she is still my mother with the assumed authority to direct my life or at least my attire. As for work, I have worked in prisons for a number of years now, and it is required that women entering the facilities, visiting or working, wear undergarments. So, to be equally fair, males are required too. Since I am not allowed, yet, to wear my kilt to work, the underwear issue has not an issue.

Unfortunately, being free to wear fewer layers of clothes at other times has also been removed as an option. Radiation treatment for cancer in 2010 has left me with a certain amount of incontinence. While it is not a problem every day, I never know when it will be a problem. So to protect my most valuable clothing investment, I have to wear adult diapers (i was not expecting that at only 57 years of age, but at least I can laugh about that now). And to hide the fact that I am wearing the diapers, I wear regular underwear (usually a color found in the kilt. Is that too "matchy"?)

So I hope that I am not transgressing any written or unwritten rules about being Scottish or kilt wearing. I am also sure that I am not the only one in this situation. Quite frankly, the only people who have made it an issue with me are the ones who neither wear kilts nor know me well enough to understand. So I guess in the long run, wearing or not wearing is not important after all. Heck, I am still alive, still teaching, and finally got to fulfill a dream to own and wear my own kilt (slightly over a year now.)

I have been "cancer free" for five years now. For what I had, my doctors claim that it is very rare to have a relapse of this type beyond the five year mark. So, both of my oncologists have released from their care. I am going to have a very nice holiday season this year. I hope you all have a great holiday season as well. And make sure that you hug every family member and friend you can. Let them know you appreciate them. (And if there are any you do not like, fake it.)

Happy holidays and keep wearing your kilts as long as it stays warm enough.