Papas got a bran new bag

[david at piano.plus.com]

Perhaps surprisingly, the colour of my toolcase does matter in the West of
Scotland, where I am based.

Here, in certain contexts, orange and green can be religious sectarian
symbols, with orange representing militant protestantism, and green
representing Catholicism.  To be seen with either could, in some contexts,
be perceived as "making a point".

Thus, when I went to tune the piano in a local large care home run by the
Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic order, I left my toolcase in the
car and just took in my tuning lever and wedges.  I didn't want anyone to
suppose, wrongly, that I was making any kind of religious statement.

Similarly, if I happened to have a bright green toolcase, I don't think I
would  take it in with me to tune a piano in the Orange Lodge.

A friend of mine, a retired senior heating engineer for the Health Board,
recalls an occasion when he was handing out hard hats to workers on a job,
and one refused an orange hat.

I have sometimes joked with customers "I'm calling this my sectarian
toolcase".

Best,

David,

"Hey man,
nothing wrong with a bright tool kit!  Sounds like you found a good option.
Shawn"