It's Just The Way We Talk.......

We're from the South -- and you can tell it when we talk. Every word we say has at least three syllables. Now, in our hometown, that's not a problem, but where we live now, in a state further north, sometimes it feels as if we might as well be speaking a foreign language. I honestly didn't know my Southern drawl was as pronounced as it is until we moved here nine years ago. We were visiting different churches, trying to decide which we wanted to go to. I'll never forget a girl introducing herself to me, asking the general questions (name, age, grade), then looking at me with an odd expression on her face and asking, "Where are you from?"

At first it was rather uncomfortable to feel like every word I said was going to be amusing to everyone listening, but eventually I got used to it. The really funny examples are from the drive in restaurants. We had an example just today. It seems there is something about the way we say two that sounds like three. How that can be possible is beyond me. When I say the two words, they have perfectly distinct sounds to my ears. But it never fails when we're at a drive-thru:

"We'd like two of the chicken sandwiches please."

"SAY WHAT?? You want how many sandwiches? Three?"

"No. We want TWO chicken sandwiches."

"You want three chicken sandwiches."

"No! We want two!! You have one too many!"

"You want one more?"

"WE WANT ONE CHICKEN SANDWICH AND ANOTHER CHICKEN SANDWICH!!!"

"Oh, you want two chicken sandwiches."

"YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I can't even describe how many times we've been through that scenario. Not to mention the time we ordered a biscuit and the guy on the speaker laughed out loud at the way we said it.

Then there's the fact that people don't call things here what I'm used to calling them. I've always referred to my purse as my "pocket book". I had no idea that was unheard of in other places. I also call the trunk of the car the "boot". That one's a little more unusual, I know, but I didn't think it was absolutely weird. Being here for nine years has changed my accent a little. I don't think it's quite as strong as it was and I say "you all" instead "ya'll" sometimes. But, some things never change. A few days ago at work, I was ringing up a customer's purchase of men's suits, dress shirts and a tie. The tie didn't have a tag, so I called the men's department.

"I need a UPC for a tie, " I said.

"A what?" he asked

"A TIE!!" I said, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, a tie. I'll call you back with the number."