I'll see your sugar and raise you two sweetie pie's.
In addition to relaxing and sleeping late, the Farmer and I will be meeting with an architect for the purpose of designing a vacation home that will one day become our retirement home. I've contacted several firms and found several to speak with while we're in town.
I said I wouldn't reveal our destination, but let's just say it's far south of the Mason-Dixon line and there's an alligator farm in town. As I relate this story keep in mind that although I was born and raised in Illinois my southern roots are deep, DEEP taproots and my branches are dripping with spooky Spanish moss. If you cut my veins I bleed barbecue sauce and sausage gravy. My grandmother and all my aunts are bona fide southern belles of the highest order. They didn't sweat, they glistened.
Today I called to make the appointment with the architect. If I was calling my cousin Nita I'd know just what to expect. I would not be thrown for any loops in the conversation. I can hold my own in any southern belle banter.
"Hey, baby doll. How you doing?" Nita would ask.
But remember, I wasn't calling my cousin Nita, I was calling an architectural firm. You know, the office of college degreed professionals.
"Hi, my name is Suzanne and I'm calling from Illinois. We own some property in town and we're looking to hire an architect to create a site specific design. Could I make an appointment?"
"Oh sure sugar," she replied. "Just give me your name hun..."
Hun?? As in Atilla the Hun, or honey? I don't know but I'm pretty sure that's a little casual for the office. Kind of the conversational equivalent of wearing a tube top to the office.
"Is 1:00 gonna work for you sweetie?" she asked.
OK, that's one sweetie, two sugars and a hun in less than 4 sentences. I think that breaks some kind of record. There should be some rules of engagement when you're talking to people from the south. I'd suggest reserving the term "sugar" for people you've actually met in person. Just a thought.
It doesn't matter. I love it. The woman was very nice and very helpful. Someone that helpful can call me anything they choose.
I'm wondering though, do you think the architect would be upset if I called him "DUDE"?
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For further reading on this subject check out "Sleeping at the Starlight Motel" or "Mama Makes Up her Mind" by Bailey White.
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15 comments:
I love the south... say what you want but people are just NICE down there... don't cha all think? Can't wait to see what kind of a house you end up with.... Building in America...FUN... in Norway, notsomuch..
Oh my goodness...so funny...so casual too. Good Grief. I work with architects daily....it is never that personal. Not sure how I feel about the 'hun' part but hey....at least it was friendly.
So funny and SO true!
I have to tell you though, my 24 year old daughter is a bartender in Oregon and talks the SAME way.
It kills me to hear her call the 45 year old checker at the grocery store "hun" or the guy at the gas station "sug" (short for sugar~sug)
I tell her how dumb she sounds and she just says "O hun, I mean Mom, don't be silly"
I swear, I wish I could just shake the shit, I mean sugar right outa her.
Oh well, I'll worry about that tomorrow ; )
You best get used to it Suzanne - it's done everywhere here except maybe an attorney's office. And they all just seem to be mad at something. Honey, sweetheart, darlin' you'll hear them all - in the grocery, the department store, the pharmacy. It's just southern. Oh and that's hon to you! blessings, marlene
I think I could get used to that VERY quickly!
Well, shut my mouth and scare my mule.
I'll see your two sweetie pie's and raise you three hun's.
I'm laughing because I can't recall once when I haven't addressed you by sweetie-pie or hun,lol.Surely, I've prepped you a bitty bit in the language of southern terms of affection! And I'm only a stone's throw away from the Mason-Dixon line.
Like water off a ducks back, you'll hear these friendly terms no matter how high cotton you go. You'd have better luck trying to steer a herd of cats than avoiding hun and sweetie pie.
Rules when you're talking to people in the south??? Hun, that's crazier than a run over dog! No rules.Just enjoy the un-politically correct, pure friendliness of all these terms. It's just their way of being friendly.
Sorry,hun, but you're as confused as a cow on astroturf regarding "dude". One generation and about 3000 miles away, I'd say. You'd probably give that architect pause if you call him "dude", for sure. But, he won't even notice if you call him hun, sweetie or babe.
One fine day when you and the farmer are enjoying this part of the country, your new female friends will call you hun or sweetie and his new male friends will call him bud or buddy. "Hey buddy" means "hello friend".
Sweetie, just give me a holler if you need any more of my help regarding southern friendliness. I'll be there for you in two shakes of a sheep's tail.
It's was fun chattin' it up with ya but Hanna is overhead and I need to run to the store. Good thing though, it's been so dry the catfish are carrying canteens.
~di
I think that firm picked the right person to answer the phones!!
That's so funny. I hear it all the time. It's okay most of the time but I HATE it when men do it. I've told a few of them before that unless they had something to do with my birth or were sleeping me...than I prefer to be called by my proper name! :)
Boy howdy I love Bailey
White. Have fun, can't wait to hear how it goes!
I love the southern drawl !!!
I hear 'Hun' a lot round here as well, even though we are not in 'The South'. Plus 'Sweetheart' and for some strange reason 'Young Lady' and 'Little Lady'. Obviously, I am neither of those!! :-)
I do this, and I live in Ohio.
Most people up here do get annoyed, but I lived in the south for 9 years.
It grew on me.
LOL It's an acquired taste isn't it? When I moved to Virginia, I was shocked at the way people did business. God forbid you're a woman that lives alone and needs some work done on your house....
Anyway, I can't wait to read all about this coming venture Sugar ;)
hugs,
rue
Well howdo Suga daaaaaalin.. How funny was that conversation. It makes you wonder what kind of building they are. The Southern are very friendly, and they know what real Iced Tea taste likes.....
Have a great weekend.
hugs;
Alaura
Your line about ladies glistening reminded me of "Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.”
I'm sure I don't need to cite my reference to you.
Loving your ramblings of late Zanne (is it ok to call you Zanne, I hardly know you?!)
Born in Texas and raised in Tx and the South...live in CO now and have to watch myself when it comes to using that around co workers. I've had some that didn't care an other that got a real twist in their knickers.
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