I live in the northern tip of the south.  It’s almost the midwest, but not truly.  I know this because I receive Southern Living magazine.  If I lived in the midwest I would received Midwest Living (which I didn’t know existed until at the home of a friend who lives in the midwest).  We are always ill prepared for inclement weather.  Generally speaking, our biggest threat is tornadoes.  When it snows, our road crews get so excited they dump all of the salt on the highway and then have nothing left if it snows again.  We are currently in the middle of a winter storm.

I have thought, for awhile now, that winter storm warnings are the brain child of Wal-Mart.  They pay the local news sources to announce a coming storm and everyone (I do mean everyone) goes to by a winter’s worth of supplies.  Here’s the thing…they buy enough to get them through Armageddon.  We have never had a storm that lasted a month.  Last year, we had an ice storm that left some people without electricity for ten days, but I see these people loading up like there will never be another chance to buy groceries.  My question is this…what do they do with all the groceries if the electricity goes out? 

My oldest son is giddy with excitement.  He sells generators.  He knows that people will get so panicked by this prediction that they will run out and spend thousands of dollars on generators to protect the thousands of dollars they just spent on groceries.  I know that there were tons of people at the grocery store, because my husband and I had to go as well.  We didn’t go to Wal-mart.  It was way too crowded.  We went to a local grocer.  We bought stuff that isn’t technically healthy, but it doesn’t spoil if we don’t have power.  I’m talking canned cheese, saltines, Doritos, peanut butter, Ritz and lots of bread.  We will survive, but we may weigh 900 pounds before it’s over.

I love the south.  I love the lazy way we speak (and move).  I love the humid summers, and the mild winters.  I love the big hair and beauty pageants (for babies).  I love that peepaws and meemaws get in the F150 and head to Wal-Mart when there is a threat of snow.  I love the people in the trailer parks who are the first in line to be interviewed after the tornado…”I’s just standin’ over yonder, and I heard sumpin’ sounded like a freight train.  I looked over ta granny and tolt her ta get in the root cellar.  Then I saw it!”  There are millions of college graduates in the south, but they never line up to be interviewed.  It’s the same if there is criminal activity in the neighborhood.  My favorite was the lady who (when interviewed after a train accident) stated that she heard something that sounded like a tornado.

We may get more snow.  The ice has yet to accumulate as predicted.  However, it seems that the immediate threat may have passed.  You can bet though, that if they say on Saturday, that more snow and/or ice is on the way everyone will load up the biggest vehicle they own and head back to Wal-Mart.  They will load up the deep freezes and pantries.  They will cook for days to have casseroles in the fridge just in case they have company come over.  They will make sure cell phones are charged, and fires are lit.  They will also do everything they can for neighbors, cattle, pets and family.  That is the real reason they load up, because they worry that they may be the only ones who do and they want to be sure to take care of everyone else.  That is the true south.  The concern for our fellow man.  The kindness and concern of our neighbors is the reason we live in an area that bakes us in the summer and freezes our butts off in the winter.  Some people will tell you that they love the fact that we experience all four seasons (sometimes in one day).  The truth is, it’s the people who make the south…not the location.  I could never live around folks who care only about themselves.  I need the manners and concern of the south.  I like that everyone talks to you like they have known you your whole life, even if you just met them in line at the grocery store.  People smile and make eye contact.  Neighbors check on one another.  We complain, just like everyone else, but southerners are here because we love it…not because jobs are better, or life is cheaper.  So bundle up babies and make room for lots of casserole.  It’s cold outside and Aunt Maude fried chicken!

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