It is not so much the fact that the woman was curious enought to ask about Bear's kilt that puts me off here, it is Bear's too quick ad-lib reply! By saying, "why, do I look cheap?" was he not just perpetuating that old myth about Scots being stingy?
Personally being a Scot, I resent that very much. The Scots because of their hard history became very thrifty; (thrift used to be a virtue in early America. Wasn't it Lincoln who said: "you cannot encourage prosperity by discouraging thrift!") The myth was then used by showman Harry Lauder and it stuck. In reality Scots are known as generous people. I have lost count of the stories I have heard of Americans going into some pub over there and finding that the locals paid for their drinks; Wouldn't let them buy anything. Enough said about that. Back to the real issue here. I consider myself an ambassador to Scotland and do not believe in being a smart-*** about such things. Folks are only acting human because maybe they are not used to seeing a guy wearing a kilt. Be gentle with them. (unless they are just assholes that is.) Think of it this way; You folks are ambassadors for kilt-wearers. Be patient with people. Leave that other person with good feelings about guys who wear kilts! It's all to the good in the end because that person will probably be favorably disposed towards kilt-wearers from that day on. Cheers,- Longforgan (Alan)