Well, to make a monday worse, the boss's wife is filling in for our regular receptionist who is on vacation all week. She is such a joy.

At lunch today, I noticed the waiter had a pin on his shirt which read: "MUGS" Immediately I thought of MUG - male unbifurcated garment. So begins a discussion on kilts, lead by me. I ask the boss's wife (the only female in attendance,) what her opinion on kilts is.

"Well, my father is Scottish, so I think they're neat. But I don't agree with what most people don't wear under them."

This strikes me as odd, but I keep the conversation going with small talk about kilts and life in general. She goes on to ask if I wear a kilt. I tell everybody, "yeah, I've made two kilts for myself, and wear them as often as I can."

Her response, "well they're inappropriate for work." Hmm, odd again. I usually wear blue jeans and a t-shirt to work and it's generally acceptable on most days.

She then proceeds to ask me what they look like. I explain how both are contemporary kilts. One being solid, one being camoflauge. She goes on to say that that's not even a real kilt and would venture to call it a dress instead. Then mentioned that I shouldn't wear said "dress" unless I planned to change my name to "Antonia." (My name is Tony.) Not a very clever name-change, but still, the insult remains.

I'm just quite frustrated. In the grand scheme of things, she doesn't matter. I kept my cool and laughed and joked with her as much as I could, but I had to end the conversation before I kicked her out the window. (Note: I wouldn't actually do this.)

*sigh*

How can somebody with Scottish ancestry look down on a kilt so much? Even after an explanation that the kilt has evolved in America much like every other garment we wear? That contemporary kilts are becoming more and more popular here because they're an easy transition for us trouser wearing folks, and even those accustomed to wearing kilts at a young age?

-Tony