During my lifetime, I have lived literally all over the United States, mostly the eastern seaboard. I have always been asked, "where are you from?". I have always resented that question, because why does that even really matter? Until Adulthood I always just did not understand how to answer the question. I was hanging out with some friends in Richmond, Virginia and the most annoying question to get asked, got asked. Sitting in my favorite little jewish delecatessen, Pearly's. I ordered a lemonade and of course, Schlubby Fries. I met up with a few friends to take a moment from the intensity of the day. At the time I was working two jobs, I was happy but certainly missed home. A friend, had brought a couple extra people to our meet up and I would finally be able to have an adult conversation, or so I thought, and enjoy relaxing..
The conversation was going well, we were tossing around different time periods in history that we found intresting, it's really nice to be able to converse with like minded people. One of the new friends, Jacob kept looking over at me. I absolutely feel like maybe, I have a bug on my face when people stare at me. At this moment I want nothing more then to devour the entire plate of Schlubby fries, obviously this was not going to happen. I was unable to eat my lunch that day and I was so hungry I could have had two plates of these fries! This is where dissapointment begins.
Jacob looked down at his plate, "Hey can I ask you something," he says as he pushed his hair back out of his face. I nodded and he smiled " Where ya from again"? "Louisiana" I responded, as I struggled to keep a straight face. "Like Naw Luns", he said in a weird and horribly wrong accent. That absolutely killed any intrest that I could have possibly had in being his friend. I immediatly explained how far away New Orleans is from Lake Charles, which is only on the opposite side of the boot. Then I began collecting my check to head home, thinking what should I actually say to people who make these comments?
After much consideration, I have figured out that not only should I have definantly called him out, I should have been very specific about how this is a point of contention is rude. Can we normalise not being so insensitive to others that we constantly search for a label? Can we just be happy that somehow, we might have made an aquaintence. The Fact is, that we are so busy labeling and trying to put everyone in these made up boxes, that we forget to be just us. In short, my gracious audience, dont forget to be human, and stop calling New Orleans , "Nah luns", we definently do not say that shit!
