8-10-08...HOW I GREW UP
I'm from Arkansas. Born There Raised There Still Here. Oh I lived in lots of places throughout my life but I'm home now. In other states I was often made fun of. The way I talked was funny. The way I expressed myself was funny. I said Mama and daddy, Papa and Granny. They thought that was funny. Hey, I still do all those things, say all those things in the same way but I'm home now and we Arkies are all just alike. I worked in a lot of different states and it never ceased to amaze me how they could think I talk funny. Never ceased to amaze me that they thought sometimes that I was an illeritate, backwoods hill billie, who had never been outta' them there hills. One lady (well that's not what I'd rather call her) kept trying to get me to talk and say things so she could giggle at the way I said them. Oh I caught on to that one fast. Yep sure did. I clammed up like a gator's mouth on his prey. She just kept on and I'd smile then just shut my mouth tight. I was in her home and I wasn't gonna' say the things I wanted to say. Well, at least not in the way I really wanted to say it. Nope, My Mama and Daddy taught me some manners and this person sure needed a few taught to her. I clammed up for a very long time and she must have begin to think something was wrong with me. She said Clydene please say something. You are scaring me. Well that's what I was a waitin' on cause I had a plan in that back woods illeritate hill billie head of mine. When her ol' prune of a face screwed up like she was about to cry I burst out giggling. I mean I giggled I got up from my chair and walked all around the room and my giggles got hysterical. At least she thought they did. That ol' big shot well spoken bitty was scared to death. I guess she thought that back woods monster that had raised me up was a gonna get her. She jumped up screaming and I grabbed her by the arm and had to hold her up to keep her from falling. Oh My Goodness I felt good. But please don't tell my Daddy cause I might get a tanning if that god forsaken city had a peach tree that is. Well I said very calmly to her. Honey now you just sit right down there and I'll get you a nice glass of water and I'm a gonna' talk to you. I said, Betty, you are my friend and if we both want this friendship we've gotta get a few things straight. Now I work with you and you know I'm a dietitian. I didn't get my education in a back woods or on a hill. I got it the same way you did yours. Now furthermore sugar I know we don't talk the same way and your speech is as hard to understand and as funny to me as mine is to you. And let me tell you what a hill billie really is. There was a small town that sat right at the base of a bunch of hills. There was a man named Billie who was a recluse and liked to live alone. He didn't bother anyone, would do anything in the world for anyone, just felt at peace with himself and the out doors. Billie came down to the town now and then to buy the things he couldn't get in the hills. Somebody would say There comes ol' Billie from the hills. After a while it was shortened to Here comes Hillbilly. And my friend that is the true story of what a hillbilly is. Well honey my name is not Billie it is Clydene and that is what I'd like to be called please. I was raised simple and different than you were but I make more money than you do which shouldn't bother good friends at all. Your speech is good and proper but we Arkies don't have time to add all those ing's to the end of each word we say. We talk slow anyhow and adding anything would take me all day to get anything said. Yes We were taught to say them just the way you were we had good educated Teachers too and all of mine were from Arkansas by the way. If we are to be friends you can laugh with me but I don't want you laughing at me. The end of that story doesn't end with us being buddies but I had to use that same technique with lots of other's that It Did Work On. So I gained some friends who had the sense to see ME as ME and not the way I talked or the different way that my great Parents brought me up. I learned other's unique ways and I wanted them to learn mine and take me as me and I would take them as who they were. I'm just me sugar JUST ME!!!
