The “Philistines!” thread in the flute forum reminded me of the reactions and questions people have when they are confronted with the uilleann pipes. I was playing with a piper once when a matron came up during a break and said to him, “That’s a fascinating instrument. Is it a bagpipe? …I see. Where do you plug it in, though?”
I hope he was gentlemanly in his response. 
T.D. is ever the gentleman. He showed her the bellows and gave her a quick rundown on UP operations. I think she ended up a bit overwhelmed.
I wish I had a dollar every time someone said something along the lines of, “Is that like bagpipes? You’re not blowing into it. How does it work?”
To which I might reply, “Grudgingly”.
I remember one day in high school, I was taking my (GHB) practice chanter out of my backpack…This kid walking by comes up to me and says “Dude! Is that a bong?!”
“Nice Hookah!”
PD.
I always tell them the batteries are in the mainstock…
that’s mean.
While I was in school at St. Petersburg college, I would practice during the three to four hour break between classes out in the commons areaq of campus. One of my favorite overheard comments was:
“Cool, that’s one of those electric bagpipes I was telling you about.”
At last Sunday’s session someone came over and said “wow, those sound great, are they similar to REAL bagpipes?”
My response “thank you, yes they ARE real bagpipes” 
Yeah - the “These sound just like bagpipes!” or “…‘REAL’ bagoipes!” comment gets me everytime. And yet these are the same people we’re electing to run the world! 
