Since moving here, I have had a few funny/odd experiences. Here are the ones that stand out the most in my mind.
- When my Mom was visiting back in September, we ate lunch at a famous local restaurant that I had a coupon for. When we had finished eating, I tried to give my coupon the the waitress. She very quickly said "Take it to the tell" and walked away. My Mom & I were like 'hu?' It only took us a moment to realize that 'tell' was short for 'teller.' No one here uses the term 'cashier', and I have actually confused people when I have used that term.
-I have noticed one HUGE difference between Minnesota & Texas...and it is not the weather! You know how we all have 'personal space' when we are out in public? Like when you are standing in line somewhere for example. In Texas, it is a very comfortable distance that people keep from each other...it's like an unspoken rule that everyone knows about & the majority of people abide by it. (And those of you guys that really know me, know I sure do love my 'personal space.') In Minnesota, it is quite different. Cut that 'personal space' distance in at least half...and that is how close people stand to you. At first, I would ease forward a little, to get away from the person who was breathing down the back of my neck, only to find they would ease right up with me. I even had an experience where a lady kept stepping on the back of my heels while in line at the post office. No lie, she did it 7 times while she was in line behind me during a 15 minute holiday wait. Everytime I scooted up, she scooted up too...stepping on my heel in the process. It took EVERYTHING in me, not to turn around & shove her! (Visions of really shoving her...knocking down the entire line of close-standing-people like dominoes...kept me sane.) But, that is just the culture...maybe they are used to having to huddle together to keep warm! Now, when I stand in line somewhere, I have to go to my happy place & take deep breaths so I don't get overwhelmed & claustrophobic.
-Along those same lines, Minnesotans are also very touchy people. Even total strangers will reach out & lay a hand on your shoulder while talking to you. I struck up a conversation with a lady in the grocery store, and I had a hard time not cracking up laughing. Everytime she started to speak, she had to touch me in some form or fashion...like grabbing my hand or arm to emphasize something, resting her hand on my shoulder to listen to me speak, and she even gently shoved me at one point. Germophobes wouldn't last one day here.
-One night I stopped by KFC to pick up some dinner. This was the conversation that took place at the drivethru window:
KFC guy: Welcome to KFC, can I take your order?
ME: Yes, I would like the 6 piece basket...can I get that all with dark meat?
----long pause----
KFC: Did you just say...DARK...MEAT?
ME: uh...yeah...like you know, all drumsticks & thighs...not the light meat...
KFC: ...oookayyyy...just DARK MEAT...your total is blah blah blah, pull forward to the second window.
While pulling forward I was trying to figure out what was SO strange about my request. Do they not call it 'dark meat' and 'light meat' here? In Friendswood, they have never batted an eye at my dark meat requests. When I pulled forward to the window, get this, 9 different KFC employess found some reason to walk by the drivethru window to nonchalantly glance at me...you know, the crazy woman who had just requested the 'DARK MEAT.' I am still baffled by this whole scenario. I really need to find someone who can explain to me what I did wrong.
1 comment:
I laughed so hard reading this post this morning. Especially the whole KFC dark meat portion. I have no idea how else you would order it, but I'll ask my aunt and grandmother as they have spent time up north. I bet the citizens of your small town are going to talk about your family's "visit" for a very long time.
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