Spent some time in the South a few years ago and was literally stunned at the polite, kind behaviour of everyone I came across. It was as if perfect strangers where delighted to see me and couldn’t do enough to help me with whatever I needed.
Of course living in the NY, NJ area my entire life I was initially suspicious of the behavior of these people. Where I come from many times when someone is smiling at you and shaking your hand with one hand they are picking your pocket with the other.
This is funny because here in Oklahoma, we get the same reactions from visitors, especially those from the north. I am told we are the friendliest, kindest, and most helpful people on the planet, which seems funny to us because it’s just the norm around here. It’s why I LOVE living here (except for the weather). If I could live somewhere that is as absolutely conservative as OK (reddest state in the union!) but has weather that’s mostly rainy with temps in the 30s year-round, I’d move there. On top of that, my house, which is modest by anyone’s standards around here (2500 sq feet) would be worth, I am told, about 2 million in other parts of the US (my mortgage is about $1000/month). So yeah, besides the stinking hot weather, I doubt I would ever live anywhere else. Lots of room to roam, very conservative and intelligent population who believe in personal responsibility...it’s a pretty okay place to live :) Oh!! And I almost forgot one of the best parts...OPEN CARRY, BABY!!
That’s how we treat people down here. :-)