Unannounced

You are in the area and you think… “Hey, Let’s stop by and say hello to the Winkerbeans.” You’re friends so they should be happy to see you…unless they are in the middle of something…and you are an interruption. Or maybe, you’re a nice interruption… to cleaning the garage.

I have noticed that folks in the North do not stop in on each other unannounced. They call and give some kind of warning. With the cell phone it is easy to give them a heads up. Give them a minute to stop what they are doing, or about to do. Give them a minute to fix their hair or get out of bed…’cause it is noon time and “Why is your lazy ass still in bed?”

I think things are a little different in the South. A while ago we lived in Jacksonville, Florida which should be considered the South because it is like Southern Georgia. Anyway, we moved in to a new “subdivision” (that’s what they call them, ya’all) and had a neighbor, Tom, who lived across the street. When we first met Tom, he told us that Jacksonville was the “coldest place he ever lived.” He mentioned that absolutely every single time we saw him.

The first time it happened we didn’t know what was up. The doorbell rang. PaulA and I looked at each other (huh?) and then peeked through the window. There was Tom The Coldest Place I Ever Lived standing at the door in his shorts, flip flops, holding a beverage. So we did what any Northerner would do…we put on smiles, slowly opened the door and looked at a smiling Tom The Coldest Place I Ever Lived standing there saying, “Hey ya’all. How’s it going?” After a few minutes of conversation about the weather and nothing in particular….we figured it out.

He was just stopping by. He didn’t want to borrow our weed wacker. He didn’t want to complain about our fertilizer stripes in the lawn….He was just being friendly and saying hello. Hmm...very interesting species.

People in our neck of the woods are not dropping in on each other. When the doorbell rings here….we say to each other …. “Who is that??” And then peek through the window. “Yep….just like we thought…Jehovah Witnesses bearing pamphlets, bad suits and briefcases.”

So if you show up at my door…..unannounced. It might take me a while to get to the door. You see, I have to peek through the window, fix my hair and put on a smile.

And if I arrive at your door…unannounced. It’s me…Kat The Coldest Place I’ve Ever Lived Is Syracuse…saying hello.