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I recently witnessed some rather odd behavior from my 20 year old that got me wondering, are southern manners contagious? After a quick trip to CVS to get a cooler for fishing, he came home and picked up some fish out the frig only to return back to the CVS. When I asked him what he was doing he told me that the lady at the store had expressed that she would love to have some fresh caught fish. Now this may not seem all that unusual for many of you, but if you could have seen this same young man just 2 years ago you would know why I had to have a crane come by and help me lift my jaw off the floor.
I got to thinking if I have changed at all, and unfortunately I couldn't come up with any examples. I guess I need to hang out with more infected (I say that in the nicest sense of the word) people. Don't get me wrong, I would like to think I am hospitable, but I am from the North and we make sure we don't set the bar too high up there. If someone maneuvers in traffic in a way that does not suit us, and we refrain from yelling and hand gestures, we consider ourselves to have behaved very mannerly that day.
So, are southern manners contagious? Are there enough southerners left in this area to teach us old northerners some new tricks? I sure hope so.
Hmm...must depend on where in the North you are from. People where I live would do something like what your son did and think nothing of it, but then, I live in the Upper Midwest in a pretty rural area where church potluck dinners and bake sales at the local bank are the norm too. Yelling and hand gestures in traffic aren't common here either, thank God. About the worst you're going to get here if you do something inappropriate in traffic is someone shaking their head as they drive past you. Heck, with all the pickups with gun racks, deer hunters, beef jerky stores, and NASCAR fans around here, you would almost think that you were in the South except for the fact that we talk funny, lol. Maybe all those Southerners who moved up here back in the day to find work in the auto factories rubbed off on all of us too!
Glad that your son is showing kindness to strangers, though. It's a good feeling to know that you raised them right, isn't it?
Yelling and hand gestures in traffic aren't common here either, thank God. About the worst you're going to get here if you do something inappropriate in traffic is someone shaking their head as they drive past you. Heck, with all the pickups with gun racks ...
This could explain the lack of hand gestures ... just kidding canudigit. It sounds like a wonderful place that you live.
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It's a good feeling to know that you raised them right, isn't it?
Well, I wish I could take credit, but I have a lot of local fishermen to thank for my sons new outlook on life.
Well, don't be too hard on yourself. You've no doubt done a much better job than you're giving yourself credit for. Once they're raised, there's only so much outside influences can do. Sounds like you're a good parent.
Where I live is nice, but it's far from perfect. I think it's just that we live quite a distance from a major city and people in the country tend to take things a little slower, and because everybody knows everybody, you don't want to tick anyone off, KWIM? LOL.
How long have you lived here? That isn't manners what your son did .... that is heart. Yes mam, no mam, thank you mam, Yes Sir, No Sir, please and thank you is manners. Heart is coming home grabbing some fish and taking them to the lady.
We left church one Sunday morning, my husband was working and it was just me and my son. He was 15 at the time. We passed an elderly man on the side of the road with a flat tire. My son looked at me and say "MOM" ... I said what ... he said turn around and let me see if I can help that man out. I turned around and my son changed the old man's tire for him. That is heart, not manners.
So wherever you raised your son, you may not insisted upon the manners, opening doors for the ladies, the Yes Sir, No Sir, thank you and please, but somewhere along the way he has heart and goodness in him. That is something to be proud of as a parent.
Now if you want manners ... insist up the Yes Mam, No Mam, Please, Thank You, opening your car door for you .... LOL LOL
...if you could have seen this same young man just 2 years ago...
Hmmmm.... sounds to me like a child who was blessed with good role-models is in the process of mutating into an adult. It's a glorious process to watch when the right foundation was there. Of course, the opportunity to hang around with some of the old-timer fishermen around here never hurts, either.
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If someone maneuvers in traffic in a way that does not suit us, and we refrain from yelling and hand gestures...
That ain't a northern thang, Neecie. Just ask the old b**ch in her Caddy who tailgated me a little too long yesterday, apparently late for drinks at the Reserve. I think it's humorous that, every year, Conde Naste' picks Charleston as the "most polite" city in the US. Obviously, the selection team has never driven I-26 at rush hour down there.
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Are there enough southerners left in this area to teach us old northerners some new tricks?
Nope, class size would be far too large.
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Carolina Woman noted: That isn't manners what your son did .... that is heart...
He didn't give her that whiting you promised me, did he? Haha! Just kidding, neece! What a wonderful thing to have your son be such a kind and generous person, but I gotta say, since I know you, the mom, I am not at all surprised. As they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Well shucks! Y'all sure do know how to make a mom feel good.
Vrexy, well, sort of, ok yes .... .... but he did go out and catch some more the next day and they are sitting here in the freezer waiting for you.
CarolinaWoman it will be two years in August that we landed in paradise. I have to tell you that the "yes mam" and "yes sir" came shortly after his arrival. You see there were a couple southern young ladies that he was trying to impress at the time. Still, like dress clothes, he saves it for only certain company, but it sure sounds good when I hear him talk like that.
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PD revealed: That ain't a northern thang, Neecie. Just ask the old b**ch in her Caddy who tailgated me a little too long yesterday, apparently late for drinks at the Reserve.
Now, PD, I don't believe for one minute that a southern gentleman like yourself did anything but tip your hat to that thirsty woman.
Manners such as that are taught by good parenting. Give yourself credit for raising him and teaching him that being good to others is a good thing and also rewarding.
Reminds me of the saying.. "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree".. :-)
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I guess I need to hang out with more infected (I say that in the nicest sense of the word) people. Don't get me wrong, I would like to think I am hospitable, but I am from the North and we make sure we don't set the bar too high up there. If someone maneuvers in traffic in a way that does not suit us, and we refrain from yelling and hand gestures, we consider ourselves to have behaved very mannerly that day. 
Are there enough southerners left in this area to teach us old northerners some new tricks? 
I sure hope so. 
I think it's humorous that, every year, Conde Naste' picks Charleston as the "most polite" city in the US. Obviously, the selection team has never driven I-26 at rush hour down there.
.... but he did go out and catch some more the next day and they are sitting here in the freezer waiting for you. 
