"I'm from up North.....North Carolina that is" (Part 1 ?)

Early this fall I took a trip to the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg Md. I was surprised to see friends from NC I have met over the years I have spent in Fire, Rescue and EMS also there taking classes, it was kind of like having a little bit of good ol' North Carolina up there with me. I also saw some folks that where there from other parts of the country that I have met in classes I have taken up there. That is one of the great things about taking classes of that caliber in different parts of the country, meeting people with common interest and goals from around the country, or world even. At dinner one night I was talking to some of my new friends from pretty much all over the US about their Fire, Rescue and EMS services and the impact of networking with other professionals helps because it shows us that we all have similar problems and together we can find answers to some of those problems. Then it happened, it always does, we started talking about the regions of the country we are from and they bring up my accent and say something like, "Joe we could at tell where you are from when you opened your mouth the first time." 

In most classes that I have attended you have to stand up and tell who you are, what you do , and where you are from. I have started telling people, "If you can't tell by my accent, I am from up North......... North Carolina that is...." I do this to make an attempt to break the ice with people and to pick at myself a bit to show that I try not to take myself too serious. This brings me to the point of this rambling mess. People always comment on my true, honest and no frills way of speaking.

 God saw fit for me to to be born in the Southeastern part of NC. I take great pride in that fact. I also take pride in the fact that we have our own way of speaking in the south. If you listen carefully you can tell where some one is from in NC just by their accent or subtle changes in dialect. People from the eastern part of the state say things a bit different than people from the western part of the state. Most of us born and raised in NC have similar accents but to us it is as obvious as the preference in the sauce we like on our Bar B Que pork. (You pretty much have to be from NC to know that there is a difference, Tomato based in the west and vinegar and peppers in the east.)

I have often told people that I know proper English, I just chose not to use it. I prefer to use the honest and sometimes quite humorous little southern sayings that I grew up with. I use words and praises like, "fixen to" meaning I am about to do something. I like the little sayings to describe things, people or situations, for example, "she was mad as a wet settin' hen" or "I'm finer than a frog hair split three ways." Meaning "she was pretty angry" and "I am doing fine, how are you?" I think this way of speaking is like playing Jazz, you should only do it if you know how. Some one "trying" to talk with a southern accent hurts my ears, and you can always tell because non-southerners keep using the word "ya'll" in the singular. No true southerner would ever use the word "ya'll" unless they were referring to more than one person.

As you may have read in another post of mine, I know that people often hear a Southern accent and equate it with ignorance. Those of you that live here and love it here know this is far from the truth. Just look at the internationally known medical centers and centers for higher learning UNC, Duke, Wake Forrest just to name a few here in NC. Not all southern folk are dumb redneck hillbillies some are pretty smart and quite literate (eg.Welty, Williams, Faulkner). The slower drawn out NC accent is just a reflection to a slower and simpler time.

I guess we just need to be proud of where are from as well as proud of who we are. If you are from New England or the Midwest or out on the West Coast you should be proud of it and embrace how being from there has helped shape you to be. This is probably the first of a few blogs about being raised in NC and the south in general. If you like what you are reading, leave a comment.

A Tale of Two Christmases

I wrote this a couple of years back for an assignment for school. It was before my wife's "Granny" passed away and and she is missed during this season so this is for "Granny Byrd" and everyone we all miss during this special holiday.

A Tale of Two Christmases

Last year I spent some quality time reading the Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol. My reading started the wheels in my head turning and thinking about what the Ghost of Christmas Past and Present would have to show me. I love the holidays as an adult almost as much as I did as a child. Christmas is a magical time meant for children, family and love.

I picture the Ghost of Christmas Past taking me to my mom and dad’s house on Christmas Eve. The smells from the kitchen would make my mouth water and my belly growl. My face would be chapped from being outside hunting all day with my dad and the rest of the men in the family. Mom would be in a rush trying to get us all ready to go to Aunt Rosa’s for the family’s Christmas gathering. The only worries on my mind were gifts and what was for supper.

Aunt Rosa’s house is where mom’s whole family would gather for Christmas Eve to eat supper and exchange gifts. The gathering involved singing religious carols, children delighting in the splendor of the evening and don’t forget the food. The amount of southern style food on that table boggles the mind. I gain weight just thinking of the desert table. After the meal, everyone would exchange gifts. I can still feel the excitement as the night would draw to an end, and we would pack up the gifts and mom and dad would talk of the coming of Santa Claus. The ride home was only a few miles, but it felt like forever. I imagine the Ghost of Christmas Past would carry me back home to watch my mom and dad try to corral my older sister and me into bed so Santa could come.

Christmas morning would start by Mom and Dad getting up early and making breakfast. I imagine the meal was mostly for them to gather their strength for the rest of the morning to come. Dad and I went deer hunting every Christmas, so the gift giving came early. Mom would hand out the presents. Dad would take pictures and help with the one big gift that Santa would leave under the tree. The rest of the day was spent hunting with dad. Taking me hunting was Dad’s way of spending quality time with me that I will never forget.

The ghost of Christmas present has a hard act to follow. As in the Dickens novel, the spirit and I travel to my Uncle Jessie’s house for Christmas Eve. The family moved the gathering to his house because it is bigger and the family has grown quite large. Some of the faces have changed, but the night remains much the same. I am one of the grown-ups now and see the wonder and amazement of the magical night in the eyes of my son. The women of the family still cook too much food, and the family still exchanges gifts. The night consists of singing, eating and the love that only comes from family.  

My wife and I get up early and eat breakfast to gain our strength for the day to come. My favorite time of the day begins when Logan emerges from his bedroom. The excitement and wonder in his face is enough to make any father smile. Like the days of my childhood, Angela passes out the gifts while I take pictures. Santa leaves Logan one big gift every year.

Angela starts preparing food to take to Granny Byrd’s house. Once again, the wonderful smells of food fill my home.  The rest of the day is spent at the home of my wife’s grandmother. Angela’s family gathers there to eat, exchange gifts and be with each other as a family.

My tale of two Christmases may not be exciting enough to base a novel on, but the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present would find an enduring theme. There is no Ebenezer Scrooge in my family; only folks like Bob Cratchit.  Christmas in my family is about the birth of Christ, the wonder of childhood and the love of a wonderful family.