A costume-maker wearing one of his own creations—a kilt—got lost on his way to a public bagpipe performance and ended up spending the afternoon in a Texas barbershop.

“This guy walked in with a skirt and long, shaggy hair,” said barber Vern Wheedleman. “I thought it was a woman. Then I noticed the beard, and I thought, ‘What the.....?’”

It turns out the kilt-wearing fellow was on the way to a bagpipe concert and got lost. He came into the barber shop to ask directions and struck up a conversation with Mr. Wheedleman.

The costume-maker described to Mr. Wheedleman how he was going to play his bagpipes in the concert. The costume-maker told the customers how he felt about being in the situation he was in. Mr. Wheedleman found it quite intriguing that the costume-maker was going to do the concert for the Scottish Heritage Festival. Mr. Wheedleman then saw how the costume-maker’s hair wasn’t very tidy, and told him he was willing to give him a discount for the opportunity to work on his beard.

Writer 3

“My beard!” exclaimed the costume-maker. “This old thing attracts you? Why, I’ve been growing it only 12 years!” And then he laughed a deep, screeching bagpipe sort of laugh, reached up, and pulled it totally off!

“Fooled you, didn’t I?” he said with a wink. “Actually, I make all my own costumes, but the secret for making them so intriguingly is what I use for materials, and where I find them.”

Writer 4

“I need to ask you one thing before you get in my chair.” the barber said, somewhat forcefully. “Is it true what they say is worn beneath a kilt?”

“What do you mean, and what does it matter for a haircut?”

“Just answer, boxers or briefs?!”

“Oh, strictly commando.”

“This here's Texas, son, not Austin! Now git yer sweaty behind outa my shop before my size 12s kick it out!”

Writer 5

As described by an eyewitness, their exchange was quite animated. The witness also added that she had the misfortune (or fortune?) of visually confirming the costume-maker's claim that kilt wearers go “strictly commando.”

Despite the barber’s threat, the costume-maker asked for a haircut. Mr. Wheedleman said he would cut the costume-maker’s hair ONLY if he sat on a towel placed over the seat of the chair.

Writer 6

Wheedleman’s Barber Shop, located at 1411 South Main Street, has quadrupled business since the activity and interest this wandering costume-maker has caused. Mr. Wheedleman is offering discounted haircuts and beard trims for Halloween weekend for anyone coming to his shop in costume.