Did I ever tell you my undergraduate degree was in Broadcasting? That basically means if you want to be in front of the camera they do their best to spank the southern accent out of you before you graduate. I’ve been out of the South for almost five years now. So I’ve been practicing using that less-southern-accented dialect pretty much all the time over the past five years, in hopes that people will listen to what I say instead of how I’m saying it. (And in hopes that they can understand me!)
But you know, it really is like they say — the south will rise again. Not that I’m expecting the return of the confederacy although the current health care reform situation makes me wonder, but in my words and ways, the southern gets tired of being repressed and starts popping up when I least expect it. You can take the girl out of the south, but you can’t take the south out of the girl.
When the south decides to rise again, here are the top ten ways I see it surface:
10. I put on my Sperry Topsiders (translation: loafers appropriate for wearing on a boat) and the green polka-dot skirt my Mom bought me at Old Navy a couple years ago. The skirt has a matching pink and green belt, and that just feels as southern as the day is long.
9. I make biscuits from scratch and politely disagree with any guests who say they seem just like scones.
8. I call my Mom, Dad, or my friend Debbie who can make any three letter word have two syllables, and let my really, really southern accent drawl right on out!
7. I listen to a CD of Mexican music that reminds me of the Latino Radio Station I like to listen to when I’m home: Noventa y seis punto nueve, effe emme — la que manda en las Carolinas!!! (96.9 FM – the one that rules in the Carolinas.) Poor Hero Hubby.
6. I give my best effort to cooking nice crispy crispy bacon like my grandma used to. I use the bacon grease to try to make my green beans taste like my Mom’s. It never seems to work, though.
5. I bake any recipe I can find that calls for a stick of butter. Food Network + Recipe by Paula Deen = Good tasting stuff (& heart disease).
4. I let a y’all or two slip out in conversation and see if anybody notices.
3. I respond to a surprising situation with a “lawsy!†or a “gee-my-nary!†Gee-my-nary, Bear, how the heck did you get that off the counter? Lawsy, boy yer gone hurt yerself!
2. I don my cowboy hat and take the Bear for a walk around the neighbourhood. People sometimes stop to say “howdy.†No joke. Hearing somebody say “Howdy” with a South African accent is pretty darn amusing.
1. I dress the Bear up like this and we head to church. We need to get him some Sperry Topsiders, too!
He’s ready for the Sadie Hawkins dance with those Khaki Pants!
And I couldn’t be more proud…
even if his shirt comes untucked quick as a whistle.
Could somebody pass me a Cheddar-Bo-Biscuit?
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Forget the Cheddar-Bo-Biscuit. You need a real cheese biscuit from Slatestone Grocery. Or maybe a sausage wrap- ie. a link sausage wrapped in a toasted piece of loaf bread with some mustard. How about some sweet tea or Mountain Dew? Grits? And if you go to Bojangles, get the Bo-Berry.
P.S. I live here, but I have a CD of Mexican music that we listen to. It was burned for us by one of the hispanics that works for Brad. Woo hoo!
Thanks for the love, y’all!!! I totally forgot that I do occasionally find a Mountain Dew around here Annie Beth! It doesn’t taste exactly the same but there was NO Mountain Dew in Scotland — so something is better than nothing! I think I like the Bo-Berry better than the Cheddar-Bo, too. 🙂 Yay for Mexican music!!!
Your dad yelled for me to come look at Asher’s new pictures. I told him he looked as if he was going dancing (shagging) with his grandpa! Then I read your story. Asher is showing true Southern taste! About the shoes, I think Asher will get a pair when he arrives in the States. May need to do a reminder about them.
Ohhh cutie patootie, he looks so precious all dressed up! Sweetie pie!!
You’ll always be my southern belle, CC!
They did used to have Mountain Dew in Scotland, but they stopped it, around the same time places stopped stocking Jolly Ranchers. My friend’s brother had to take a supply back from Australia for friends in Scotland who miss it!
Love the last pic of you and the Bear. Sweetness!! (loving the necklace you have on too, very prettyful)
Oh, and it goes for Leither girls too. My friend used to laugh when I got enraged about something because apparently my ‘Leith’ accent & lingo came through so strongly.
Ye can take the lassie oot o’ Leith, but ye cannae take the Leith oot o’ the lassie! That would be pure ment-ahl an’ tha like! 😉
So funny, Laura Anne! I remember being able to get Mountain Dew when I first got there — but only at that Mexican store on the way into Bruntsfield that I can’t remember the name of now! I heard it was because of some E-number or something that was banned in Britain — kind of scary! I am enjoying it occasionally now that I’m here. When the Bear had on the khakis, I felt like Mama needed to be wearing pearls with my jeans and a t-shirt glory! 🙂 Thanks for the complement!
Bo-Berries and and Chedder- Bos are the way to go.
Asher looks adorable in his khakis!!
My theatre degree beat the Southern drawl out of me too. Every once in a while it comes out, usually out of frustration or fatigue. It amuses my hubby, especially since he STILL can’t understand most of my family!
(I bet your biscuits are delicious and aren’t nearly as dry as a scone! You’ll have to serve them with red-eye gravy!)
Wow, he really is all set for Yale in that sparky blue shirt and khaki combo! 🙂