[Smokin' Joe]

In grad school, I found most northerners had only been exposed to a Southern Accent through such wonderful venues as The Dukes of Hazard and The Beverly Hillbillies. The effect was that they assumed that all Southerners bore an intellectual resemblance to such caricatures.

And here, I thought all that annoying smugness on the part of the tourists was just because they had prevailed in the War Between the States. (We just smiled, said "Bless your heart.", and took their money.)

[sparklite2]

My reception in Canada depended on how I answered the question, “Where are you from?” It was always asked when they heard my accent.

If I said, “I’m from the States,” the Canadians would give me a cold shoulder. But if I said, “I’m from Texas,” their faces would light up as they asked if I was a cowboy and if I ever saw any indians. It was hilarious. You think Texas wasn’t a part of the US.