Tartan Recognition

**demobud** · 23rd August 07, 07:13 AM

Yesterday I went to meet some friends that are looking to buy a new house and they wanted my opinion on some of the repairs needed (they had another contractor coming and wanted me to see if their pricing was honest). I went wearing my Black Watch (kind of freaked out the other contractor, he kept looking sideways at me as if I was going to explode or something

) and after the initial surprise of seeing a man in a kilt, their realtor asked me what clan the kilt was as she is a Cunningham and some of her male relatives are Andrews Society types.
After the site visit my friends and I went to lunch at a sub shop and while we were standing in line waiting to order the sammich builder looks up from behind the counter, loks me up and down and says "Black Watch, right?" I was pleased to see some recognition not only for the kilt but of the actual tartan!
All in all it was a good day!

**CactusJack** · 23rd August 07, 08:10 AM

What a great story, I was out the other day in my Irish National Tartan and while satnding in line at the gas station with my wife one of the clerks asked if I played bagpipes, I told her I didn't that I just like to wear kilts. She looked me in the eye and said " well sonny you look mighty fine in that there kilt".

**Roan Carter** · 24th August 07, 02:35 AM

Isn't it impressive when that happens? I was standing in a bookstore the other day when a complete stranger recognized my tartan.

**cessna152towser** · 24th August 07, 03:00 AM

Yes, its nice when someone recognises the tartan you are wearing.
I'm a Cunningham but as its a rather loud mainly red tartan I only wear it for big occasions. My everyday kilts are in darker tartans, camos or single colours.
But please translate, and teach me a new American word. What is a "realtor" ?

**Perldog007** · 24th August 07, 04:37 AM

Originally Posted by cessna152towser

Yes, its nice when someone recognises the tartan you are wearing.
I'm a Cunningham but as its a rather loud mainly red tartan I only wear it for big occasions. My everyday kilts are in darker tartans, camos or single colours.
But please translate, and teach me a new American word. What is a "realtor" ?

Realtor - noun, descriptive type - indicative of a greasy, sleazy, predator that has gotten bored with gratuitous financial abuse of other humans on the used car lot and moved on to bigger kills - namely homes, land parcels, commercial buildings and the like.

Seriously, there are some ethical Realtors out there. It means person that is licensed to sell Real Estate. Essentially a land/home salesperson.

Me mum tried it out in the Atlantic City area. Said it was too cut-throat and generally lacking in ethics for her.

Typical commission on a home sale here in the U.S. is 6% split between the realtor listing the property (representing the seller) and the realtor representing the buyer.

After years of this system the FISBO , or For Sale By Owner, is becoming an increasingly popular option.

I don't envy the plight of the ethical Realtor. They have a lot of baggage from their less worthy peers to overcome.

More on topic, good for the person in the sub shop. One step at a time. One day those so insecure that they must wear trousers will be getting the strange looks.

**demobud** · 24th August 07, 06:46 AM

Great definition, Perldog007!

I guess a realtor is the same as an estate agent? I hope I am getting the correct term. Right now in our area there is a plethora of realtors. Our area is still building at a breakneck pace. It's getting ridiculous.

**slohairt** · 24th August 07, 11:46 AM

Hey, my Dad is a Real Estate Agent!

Yeah, things are building up in my area as well. Legoland villages and Edward Scissorhands-esque neighourhoods are eating up the fine countryside at an alarming pace!

**Mr. Kilt** · 24th August 07, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by slohairt

<snip>
Yeah, things are building up in my area as well. Legoland villages and Edward Scissorhands-esque neighourhoods are eating up the fine countryside at an alarming pace!

And this is why my wife and I are leaving Calgary next spring for rural Manitoba. We're tired of the relentless growth in the city and the ticky-tacky homes that are being built everywhere. I think the place we are relocating to won't have that problem in our lifetime.

**demobud** · 24th August 07, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Kilt

And this is why my wife and I are leaving Calgary next spring for rural Manitoba. We're tired of the relentless growth in the city and the ticky-tacky homes that are being built everywhere. I think the place we are relocating to won't have that problem in our lifetime.

Good luck! I grew up out in the country and would love nothing more than some acreage with no one next door, but the wife is a city girl so we live close in.