Over the weekend I heard a familiar phrase. I'd say that in the past year I must have heard it about 15 times. Perhaps even more than that, and sometimes it's another phrase but with exactly the same sentiment. "Why the heck are you in West Virginia?". It's difficult to describe the tone, but swap the words "West Virginia" and change them to "swearing in church" and you'll probably get the correct intonation of how it is usually asked. What I say usually is "I go to school here" or "my girlfriend is here" or something that doesn't reveal too much information to a complete stranger. What I often feel like saying is "If West Virginia is so bad, what the heck are you doing here??". I really don't know why people are so tough on the state. I think it may have something to do with people always thinking that the grass is greener on the other side or the "greener grass" effect (as I'd probably label it). The truth is, you're too busy getting swept up in life to appreciate West Virginia, and looking outside of your self for blame for any of your issues. So please, stop ragging on the state and do something about it if you want change.
4 comments:
Great post!
(By the way, I may well have said that to you when we first met. If I did, well...)
There is another reason we WV'ians say such things. We are, culturally, notoriously insecure about our lifestyle and heritage. But here's the kicker: we're also quite proud of it. So sometimes when we say: "Why the hell are you here?" we are really saying: "You mean, you had a choice to be somewhere else and you still chose where I am? Damn...that means I really am OK."
Yeah, what Film Geek said. BTW, when are you gonna come back over to the blogger board and say hey?
I get that a lot, too. I'm less patient and nice than you are about it, though. ;)
My usual response is "my wife's from here" and then zone out because they've usually got some long drawn-out story about how they're also 'from' Scotland, despite never having been there. I've never been able to figure that one out. But that's why I don't talk much anymore, or use my covert American accent. I'm sure it's fascinating for some to meet a "furrnrr", but I get sick of telling the story over and over.
But there seems to be significantly less foreign immigration in WV than in other states (probably due to the lack of larger businesses), so there's bound to be less accents here.
But that's why I don't talk much anymore, or I'll use my covert American accent.
Preaf rooding.
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