“...condescending mockery anytime they divined (from my car’s plates or my telling them) I was from Iowa...”
How ironic...I had Iowa plates at that time too (Dubuque)! Even had the air let out of all 4 tires one time for that reason. Lots of low life white trash punks who imagined they were tough.
I swear they still believe that anyone from W of US Hwy 63 has a prehensile tail and cheated on their driver's license test.
"Best job I never got" was one in what is now a suburb of Milwaukee (but not far enough out to be nice anymore). God takes care of drunks, fools and me.