I was in NYC my h.s. senior year (1977) with an exchange student and her mother. They spoke minimal English. Apparently, we took the wrong way to the subway... We stopped at a corner store to ask directions... The store owners did not speak English either... At some point, I encountered a man and asked for assistance. He told me that I must not be a local because of my smile...
To wit:
To Be a Virginian
either by birth, marriage, adoption,
or even on one’s mother’s side,
is an introduction to any state in the Union,
a passport to any foreign country,
and a benediction from the Almighty God.
~ Anonymous
That passage sounds like it may have been written by Guy Fridell, whose book, What is it about Virginia, became a favorite of mine during my many years as a Virginian.