I got whistled at today, so...

[Alan H]

I had just put down the trig, and dropped the new-to-me Open Stone on the grass when I heard it. There, about 75 yards away, lounging on the grass, was a gaggle of college kids and one young lady. I stared, waved, got a wave back.

Hmm.

So I stretched a little and warmed up. After a few throws, I heard another whistle. This one annoyed me.

Well, I was done with the stone, so I went to the car and got the 42 pound Masters weight for weight over bar. I set up the bar at 13 feet, dropped the weight and walked over to the guys, who were trying to retrieve their frisbee from an oak tree. And I said...

"Since you all seem to think it's funny to whistle at a guy wearing something different from you, since you probably figure that any guy wearing this skirt thing is probably an effeminate wuus, I tell you what. If anybody in this group can throw that weight over there over a bar higher than I can, I'll give them twenty bucks. And any of you who CAN'T throw the weight higher than I can, I'll accept an apology instead."

They immediately started to say that no harm was meant, but I shushed them. "Just throw." That's' it.

I got six apologies.

I managed to work it out that it all turned into a game, really rather than a showdown, but it was still kind of satisfying. So much for whistling at the panzy in the skirt.

[Nick the DSM]

Nice, its great to have that kind of proving ground with them. Now...what to do when you're a scrawny guy and can't even pick up that 42 weight either...

[Korvyn]

Nice, its great to have that kind of proving ground with them. Now...what to do when you're a scrawny guy and can't even pick up that 42 weight either...

Ya don't make fun of a man in a kilt

[CMcG]

I think a bunch of apologetic dudes just realized that real men wear kilts

[Standard]

Well played Alan, I'll bet that felt good.

[FinsUp]

Way cool!

[Dale Seago]

I got six apologies.

I managed to work it out that it all turned into a game, really rather than a showdown, but it was still kind of satisfying. So much for whistling at the panzy in the skirt.

Hee!! That's absolutely delightful!

Nice, its great to have that kind of proving ground with them. Now...what to do when you're a scrawny guy and can't even pick up that 42 weight either...

I pretty much fit that description. Oh, I could certainly pick it up, maybe even get it into the bed of a pickup truck to take it away.

But I almost never get any remotely negative comments or inferences about the kilt. However, I've followed the profession of arms, in a number of overlapping senses, for over forty years now, and something (probably a matter of body language) seems to just "send a message" on a nonverbal level.

The message seems variable, though.

Someone (wife of a fellow officer in my former Army unit) once commented to her husband that I epitomized the idea of "a steel fist in a velvet glove", while a (male) former Special Forces O-6 has referred to me to friends as "The deadliest scary blank-blanker I know". And then just a couple of days ago a woman who worked in the same company with me when I was its Corporate Security Director years ago posted on my Facebook page, ". . .you are someone I ALWAYS felt safe around. Being around you is like having this bullet-proof, safe and warm blanket. I really miss that. Sounds like you are doing great -- I'm really glad. I miss working with you. My workplace was never, and has never been, as safe as it was when you were in it. God bless you, your lady and your bird." (She also mentioned she loved it when I came kilted to the office, which happened a lot.)

To summarize, I think responses to wearing the kilt have a lot to do with "how you wear it". Not just in a purely sartorial sense, but the experiences which go into, and are subliminally projected in, your wearing of it.

[CDNSushi]

That's awesome. I had a similar experience when I was a teenager and I had just come back from the shooting range. Dad was in the backyard BBQing with a friend when I walked into the yard with my large, camo case.

"Watchya got in the bag, son?" Dad's friend asked.

"Compound bow..."

"You been out shooting?"

"Yup."

"Can I see it?"

"My bow?"

"Yeah. Let's see that thing."

So I took it out... (Mean-looking camo themed Bear & Jennings with a nice set of sights and stabilizer), and I handed it to the guy as he set down his beer.

"Whoa! You actually shoot this thing?"

"Yeah."

"Can I pull it back?"

"Yeah. But just don't let go when there's no arrow on... Ruins the bow."

He took a deep breath and pulled at the string. He got it less than a quarter of the way back before he stopped and let go. He tried at least two more times before he finally got frustrated, handed the bow back to me and said:

"Bull$**t! There's no WAY a scrawny 16-year old like you can pull that back either. You did that just so you could laugh at me!"

Without a word, as quickly as he said it, I effortlessly pulled the bow back to full draw and held it for a while (looks impressive -- especially for non bow-shooters who don't realize that a compound gives you anywhere between 60 and 80% let-off at full draw)...

The look on his face was priceless! He just couldn't believe it! He just stood there, jaw open, shaking his head. I put the bow back in the case and never heard any wisecracks about scrawny 16 year-olds again after that! :-)

My recommendation? Find something you enjoy. Learn to do it well... Never know when it'll come in handy.

[Dale Seago]

So I took it out... (Mean-looking camo themed Bear & Jennings with a nice set of sights and stabilizer). . .

I can't find the "drool" icon. . .

[McFarkus]

Heh-heh. That will show them.