Tartan MIS-identification?

[cacunn]

The only thing I've gotten are "Aren't kilts are supposed to be tartan, not one colour?" .

Let me see if I can remember my tartan identification:

black - CIA tartan
tan - designed by Laurence (sp) of Arabia for the desert tribes
green - people of the Amazon
blue - people of Atlantis
white - Eskimos

In all cases the tartan patterns are monochromatic and very hard to see.

[Arlen]

German ladies, airports! Thanks for the tip, Spud.

They're usually extra impressed if you wear a kilt AND read the Outlander books.

[Macman]

This argument sounds like the one of "Mc" and "Mac" preface to ones name. There are those that will tell you that "Mc" is Irish and "Mac" Scottish. In may ways there is many similarities. the annoying thing is when someone tells you with all certainty where your ancestors came from. I inform them and then ignore them.

This is one of my pet peeves, and I think the perpetrators are belong to the same police force as Arlen's tartan lady. Your advice is apt.

[Archangel]

I politely disagree. If more people would be willing to say "oops, I'm sorry" rather than INSIST they're right or get defensive (which she had no reason to do since Arlen wasn't OFFENSIVE), the world would be a much nicer place. Even if they still think they're correct, what gives them the right to walk up to a COMPLETE STRANGER and tell them their opinion or berate them for not wearing the proper tartan or for being mis-informed (which Alren was not)? Was Arlen being rude or hurting anyone? No. He seems like a very nice, polite, civilized man. What gives this crazy lady the right to talk to him like that when he said nothing to her to even warrant her approaching him in the first place?

The POLITE thing for ANYONE to do in that instance would be to apologize for being so presumptuous and either admit fault or to agree to disagree or to at least admit they look similar. To insist you're right and to pick a fight (verbal argument) with a complete stranger is crazy and rude.

Wait, but that's what you'd be doing!

So, somebody harmless is being an idiot, big deal. Why spoil the whole trip over it.

I get the accent thing all the time, go figure.

If you wear the Maple Leaf then you get to explain the "clan" of Canada unless, whoa, you get somebody upset that you were never in the army, huh??

If everything went smooth, these threads would be empty.

Personally, I'd be happy to go through an airport without waste of time security than worry about somebody asking silly questions about my kilt.

[davedove]

German ladies who get wayyyyyyy, wayyyyy too friendly.

I KNEW I needed to schedule a trip to Germany for some reason.

[RockyR]

Wait, but that's what you'd be doing!

I don't see it that way... you'd be REACTING to someone picking a fight with YOU. She approached him, not the other way around.

Either way, he handled it very well. I guess I'm just bitter in my old age of 30. ;)

[Tattoo Bradley]

Arlen...

At that point (when she got condescending and rude) I would have blown off a little steam with 1 of the following options:

1. (looking at her jacket or shirt side to side) "Hmm.... Sorry, I can't seem to find your TARTAN POLICE badge. Are you going to write me a ticket?"

2. "Well you MUST know what YOU'RE talking about. I'm not from Scotland and didn't pay top dollar for my kilt in someone else's tartan that I have nothing to do with. Yup... you MUST be right b/c you saw your brother in law wear a kilt once... if that doesn't make you a tartan expert, I don't know what would. You should offer your services to the Scottish Tartans Authority with that eagle eye of yours."

Yeah. I don't tolerate ignorance very well. Call it a personality flaw or what you will. But, my brain isn't wired to work that way. I think my reaction would have been along the lines of Rocky's. When someone maliciously attacks (as is obviously the case here) I will never "turn the other cheek."

[Ian.MacAllan]

. . . When someone maliciously attacks (as is obviously the case here) I will never "turn the other cheek."

But a soft answer really does tend to turn away wrath, and there are many situations in which being courteous is much more constructive than being correct or even just.

Consider that if you effectively squelch this woman she will go away angry and probably dump her anger on some relatively innocent and defenseless person. You can't be sure of "teaching her a lesson" by a cutting comment, and anyway her education is her responsibility not yours.

.

[James MacMillan]

I guess I'm just bitter in my old age of 30. ;)

You're only 30 ??? You sound so much older on the phone!

[Tattoo Bradley]

But a soft answer really does tend to turn away wrath, and there are many situations in which being courteous is much more constructive than being correct or even just.

Consider that if you effectively squelch this woman she will go away angry and probably dump her anger on some relatively innocent and defenseless person. You can't be sure of "teaching her a lesson" by a cutting comment, and anyway her education is her responsibility not yours.

.

As "right" as you may be, as mentioned, my brain is not wired that way. I do realize the problem involved in that. But, what is is what is...