Whenever I introduce myself to someone as being from Glasgow, I invariably get one of the following responses:
- “Oh but I can understand your accent.”
- “Oh but I thought Scottish people were meant to be thrifty and you’ve clearly just got a round in for everyone.”
- “Oh but I can’t help noticing you haven’t knifed me to death.”
- “Is it true about the kilts?”
In the face of such blatant stereotyping, I emit a beleaguered sigh, and launch into the prepared script that I have for just these occasions; I wonder why people cling on to these old-fashioned notions about Scottishness, surely cribbed from an episode of the Russ Abbot show. But then….