Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Where I come from



Where I come from you work hard for what you have and are thankful.

Where I come from there are biased people but I don't think it's about color so much as it is about folks who expect something for nothing.

Where I come from we've got some of the finest music and musicians on the planet. We'll sooth your soul with the blues and a little jazz or make sure you shake a leg or do some toe tappin listening to rock-n-roll. We're Elvis, BB King, and Johnny Cash.

Where I come from the summers are hot and the winters are too,,,, sometimes.

Where I come from it wasn't so long ago that we worked the fields by hand and the memory of the taste of cold, clear, well water after sweating in the sun still lingers.

Where I come from the first sign of Autumn is the beginning of football season.

Where I come from cold buttermilk and hot cornbread can make a meal, and often does.

Where I come from fried is a common adjective, as in fried okra, fried chicken, fried catfish.

Where I come from your family comes first and you love them above all.

Where I come from we learn respect from birth. We respect your religion, your ideals, your political leanings, your feelings, and you'd damn sure better respect ours.

Where I come from pecan and magnolia trees are thick and lush. Our wisteria, wild roses, and tiger lilies are too.

Where I come from tea is iced so if you want a cup of hot tea you'd better say so up front. We're polite, we won't mind.

Where I come from we use air conditioning but we haven't forgotten those hot, humid days without. I think we probably appreciate it more than most.

Where I come from we're taught manners at a very young age and we use them our whole lives.

Where I come from the Mississippi River runs deep and wide and the mosquitoes are wicked.

Where I come from we're proud and hospitable.

16 comments:

David said...

That has to be from the deep south although I know that is not where you come from. Cornbread and milk - saw that many many times.

Anonymous said...

Where I come from, I count Christmas lights on blog wallpaper and you have 187.

Holly said...

my daughter is 2.5 and says please, thank you, and i'm sorry. people are amazed at that. that makes me a bit sad. i grew up saying it, my sons say it.. but manners seem to be a shortfall nowadays.

Brenda said...

Those are about where I come from David, Southern truths.

I like lights Mark, 187 huh?

I agree Miz Holly and I think it's great you're teaching your children to be respectful.

Virginia Gal said...

That was a very nice post.

I like to think of myself as a bit of a Southern (from Virginia after all) and what I love about the South of the US is the hospitality, people ARE friendly down South. I love that everyone, children included, say "maam and sir" and best of all, I love that when you get ice tea it is already sweetened! (unsweeted ice tea is a Northern phenomenon that I abhor!!).

Anonymous said...

You are the first southern lady I ever met and I've learned so much from you.

Merry Christmas, Brenda, and thank you for another year of wonderful insight.

Joan said...

Well, blow me down and call me shorty Ms. Brenda, that surely was the finest post ever. Did I sound Southern?...nahhh didn't think so. You can always spot a fake. Matter of fact I have been to Arkansas, yes maam thats a fact. We had been travelling through the south for a couple of days, and the accent was starting to wear on me. We stopped at a little diner for breakfast and I ordered bacon and eggs I said it with a southern accent without even knowing it. Gord just about bust a gut laughing. Later that day we stopped at a gas station and the attendent asked up if we wanted our oll checked. We asked him to repeat it,and he said..your oll. We didn't know what he was talking about until he pointed to a oil can in the station. LOL..talk about dumb Canuks!! We call it oyle.

wanda said...

Yep, that's some good ole fashioned Southern Comfort right there!
We Southern Belle's have much of which to be proud.

By the way, I'd like to add, "Where I come from tea is iced " AND SWEET! Yeah, we actually put sugar in our tea BEFORE we serve it to folks. Unlike some people!!

Anonymous said...

I've lived all over the world, but have been in the South for the past 25 years. Two years ago I had to go up north on family business(won't say where 'cause I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings). Boy, was I ready to leave after the first day! Driving home, I just about wept when I got to West Virginia and found a Shoney's with turnip greens and dirty rice and all kinds of fried meat on the salad bar. When the waitress called me "ma'am," I knew I was almost home again. And by the way, Meridian, MS. is one of the most hospitable places ever (besides where I live in LA). I'm proud to say I'm from the South, too, Brenda. Merry Christmas, all!

Special K said...

And you eat squirrels. ;)

Sally said...

Where I come from, going out to eat at Cracker Barrel, and shopping there, is a big deal!

I love bein' a southern girl, and Lord a Mercy, I gotta have my grits ever single day!!

Great post, Ms. Brenda - loved it. :)

Special K said...

P.S. Thanks for the Christmas card!

me said...

Thank God there is still "Where You Come From".

Joe said...

Hum... sounds like down home to me girl! Have a great day.

Anonymous said...

Excellent - I lived near Charleston, SC for about 10 years, and never had any desire to leave. The values were similar.

Now I live in Pennsylvania where there isn't so much respect for many things, but I just try to keep my little part of the world the best I can.

Joan said...

SK, she doesn't eat squirrels, she eats possums.