You Ask Me What I Love About Texas

[OldCurlyWolf]

I will NOT die north of the Red River!!!!!

Almost all of the Panhandle is north of the Red and that is still Texas.

[Bitter Clinger]

I will NOT die north of the Red River!!!!!

Almost all of the Panhandle is north of the Red and that is still Texas.

Antelope Flats is as far as I go!

[The Annoyed Man]

My wife just read this article to me from Readers Digest, which explains some of why I love Texas: Here's Why Northerners Don't Get "Southern Hospitality".

Now, SoCal, where I come from, tends to also be far more hospitable than the North/Northeast......but it still doesn't hold a candle to the South. And sadly, SoCal's hospitality is beginning to decline some, or at least that's been my experience the last couple of times I've been back there. The attitude is getting to be more and more "east coast". In all honesty though, I've found easterners to be very hospitable too, but the big difference is hospitality toward the stranger. Southerners tend, in my experience, to be more hospitable and welcoming to the total stranger; whereas that is much less the case in the Northeast and the West Coast.

But I will say this......my ex-wife and I once found ourselves in financial extremis in NYC because Western Union had lost track of a money-gram that had been wired to us. It was on the morning of the Friday preceding the Memorial Day weekend of that year. How we ended up in those straights is another story, but it was a time of high anxiety. We had no more food in the fridge except a loaf of bread - most of which I had fed that morning to our 100 lb Ridgeback dog we had at the time.....being out of dog food too. I had made a phone call with literally the last dime I had on a pay phone at the corner, around 89th St and Central Park West in Manhattan, to try and track the money-gram down, and I kept getting shunted around the company until someone finally disconnected me. I actually bummed another dime off of a total stranger passing by to make another attempt. When I told him why, he was totally sympathetic and offered to stand by in case I needed another dime. But instead of phoning Western Union this time, I called the phone company operator, explained my situation, and begged her to stay with me until I could get connected to someone who could help. She agreed to help us, and I ended up calling all over the east coast on that one dime, but ultimately to no avail. Either the Western Union office in question didn't answer the phone, or they couldn't find it, or they just didn't care and hung up. In desperation, my wife and I went to the local police precinct station to ask for help. I figured that maybe a cop's authority might help budge Western Union into action. Those cops were magnificent. The desk sergeant listened to our story, then he disappeared into a back room for a moment. When he came out, he had take up a collection for us from the other cops in the station. He handed us $40 (in 1974 dollars), and then he made a phone call to the Western Union office at Grand Central station (which I had spoken to on the phone 2 or 3 times already), identified himself, and said, "here's what we're going to do. I'm sending these two down to your office, and you're going to have their check ready. If it's not ready, they're going to phone me, and you and I are going to have a conversation you don't want to have." He then told one of his brother officers to drive us to the subway station and get us on a train, which he did. That officer walked us up to the token booth and told the attendant that we had been robbed, and to let us on the train for free, which he did. We took the train to Grand Central station, where a sheepish Western Union employee gave us our money without anymore trouble.

What I took away from that is that big east coast cities are full of grifters tying to take advantage of someone, and so people tend to be extremely wary of the motive of strangers. So, in dog terms, they begin with the assumption that you're a bad dog, and it is on you to prove that you're not. But if you can break through that wariness, northerners are capable of great generosity and humanity. By contrast, southerners (Texans included) are kind of the opposite......they follow the art of diplomacy, which is to say that they are all smiles and "nice doggie", but they have a big stick (gun) handy in their purse or under that untucked shirt to deal with bad dogs. As long as you don't show yourself to be a bad dog, they'll go with the assumption that you're not, and treat you accordingly from the outset. I call that southern difference giving the stranger the benefit of the doubt, which is not a northern trait so much.........at least not in my experience. Yankees assume the worst, and then are pleasantly surprised when that turns out not to be the case. But that assumption of the worst in the north, versus the benefit of the doubt in the south, is what makes the biggest difference when it comes to Southern Hospitality. At least that's how I see it.

[Jusme]

My wife just read this article to me from Readers Digest, which explains some of why I love Texas: Here's Why Northerners Don't Get "Southern Hospitality".

Now, SoCal, where I come from, tends to also be far more hospitable than the North/Northeast......but it still doesn't hold a candle to the South. And sadly, SoCal's hospitality is beginning to decline some, or at least that's been my experience the last couple of times I've been back there. The attitude is getting to be more and more "east coast". In all honesty though, I've found easterners to be very hospitable too, but the big difference is hospitality toward the stranger. Southerners tend, in my experience, to be more hospitable and welcoming to the total stranger; whereas that is much less the case in the Northeast and the West Coast.

But I will say this......my ex-wife and I once found ourselves in financial extremis in NYC because Western Union had lost track of a money-gram that had been wired to us. It was on the morning of the Friday preceding the Memorial Day weekend of that year. How we ended up in those straights is another story, but it was a time of high anxiety. We had no more food in the fridge except a loaf of bread - most of which I had fed that morning to our 100 lb Ridgeback dog we had at the time.....being out of dog food too. I had made a phone call with literally the last dime I had on a pay phone at the corner, around 89th St and Central Park West in Manhattan, to try and track the money-gram down, and I kept getting shunted around the company until someone finally disconnected me. I actually bummed another dime off of a total stranger passing by to make another attempt. When I told him why, he was totally sympathetic and offered to stand by in case I needed another dime. But instead of phoning Western Union this time, I called the phone company operator, explained my situation, and begged her to stay with me until I could get connected to someone who could help. She agreed to help us, and I ended up calling all over the east coast on that one dime, but ultimately to no avail. Either the Western Union office in question didn't answer the phone, or they couldn't find it, or they just didn't care and hung up. In desperation, my wife and I went to the local police precinct station to ask for help. I figured that maybe a cop's authority might help budge Western Union into action. Those cops were magnificent. The desk sergeant listened to our story, then he disappeared into a back room for a moment. When he came out, he had take up a collection for us from the other cops in the station. He handed us $40 (in 1974 dollars), and then he made a phone call to the Western Union office at Grand Central station (which I had spoken to on the phone 2 or 3 times already), identified himself, and said, "here's what we're going to do. I'm sending these two down to your office, and you're going to have their check ready. If it's not ready, they're going to phone me, and you and I are going to have a conversation you don't want to have." He then told one of his brother officers to drive us to the subway station and get us on a train, which he did. That officer walked us up to the token booth and told the attendant that we had been robbed, and to let us on the train for free, which he did. We took the train to Grand Central station, where a sheepish Western Union employee gave us our money without anymore trouble.

What I took away from that is that big east coast cities are full of grifters tying to take advantage of someone, and so people tend to be extremely wary of the motive of strangers. So, in dog terms, they begin with the assumption that you're a bad dog, and it is on you to prove that you're not. But if you can break through that wariness, northerners are capable of great generosity and humanity. By contrast, southerners (Texans included) are kind of the opposite......they follow the art of diplomacy, which is to say that they are all smiles and "nice doggie", but they have a big stick (gun) handy in their purse or under that untucked shirt to deal with bad dogs. As long as you don't show yourself to be a bad dog, they'll go with the assumption that you're not, and treat you accordingly from the outset. I call that southern difference giving the stranger the benefit of the doubt, which is not a northern trait so much.........at least not in my experience. Yankees assume the worst, and then are pleasantly surprised when that turns out not to be the case. But that assumption of the worst in the north, versus the benefit of the doubt in the south, is what makes the biggest difference when it comes to Southern Hospitality. At least that's how I see it.

Great post and story TAM.

I don't really know why we (Texas folks) are so accommodating, sometimes, but I think it goes back to how we were raised. I still have the habit of addressing men as sir, and women as ma'am. Their age, respective to mine, makes no difference. I address, store clerks, waiters/waitresses, and everyone I come in contact with in that manner.
I know that growing up, if I had done differently, and replied with "yeah" or "uh huh" I would have immediately been corrected by my parents/grandparents etc..
Maybe we have a different outlook, towards strangers because we were raised to be friendly, and extend a helping hand when we could. I have met people from northern states, who were very friendly, and others, not so much. But I have found that after being around Texans for any length of time, they seem to embrace our outlook towards others. Some are still taken aback by having a stranger greet them with a friendly wave, or a "good morning"

I just hope that our attitudes don't change, or be replaced by attitudes of mistrust.

[bblhd672]

Americans everywhere have the capability to be hospitable and kind - although I do believe that the best people are from the South!
A story from many years ago.
In 1978 I was stationed in New London, CT and had leave over the Christmas/New Years holiday. Started driving to Louisiana on morning of Christams Eve with a buddy who was going home to Houston. About 5pm while driving through PA, a wheel bearing went out. We made it to the next exit and started looking for somewhere to get repaired, not holding out much hope at 5 o'clock on Christmas Eve. Pulled into a service station just as the owner was pulling the doors down to lock up and go home to his family. After explaining our problem, he called his wife, raised the garage door and took my car inside. He called the auto supply store owner, who had already closed, and got him to bring the new wheel bearings needed. Two hours later we were ready to roll down the highway again. When I asked him how much I owed - he said "nothing it's my gift to you sailors so you can get home to your families. Merry Christmas."

[Syntyr]

Born and raised in TEXAS. I have lived in many other states, North, East and West. But I love my Texas.

I love a West Texas sunrise!


I love the Houston skyline!


I love the music of Texas!


I love the History of Texas!


I love the Texas Rangers!


I love the Texas flag!




I love the Texas Cowboy way of life!


I love Big Bend!


I love the Guadalupe Mountains!


I love our Capitol! Did you realize that our capitol is 3 feet taller than the US Capitol... And its the only one taller...


I love the Texas Stars at night as they are big and bright!


But most of all I love that I was born here and still live here! I love the freedoms that I have and I love Texas!

[bblhd672]

Born and raised in TEXAS. I have lived in many other states, North, East and West. But I love my Texas.

I love a West Texas sunrise!


I love the Houston skyline!


I love the music of Texas!


I love the History of Texas!


I love the Texas Rangers!


I love the Texas flag!




I love the Texas Cowboy way of life!


I love Big Bend!


I love the Guadalupe Mountains!


I love our Capitol! Did you realize that our capitol is 3 feet taller than the US Capitol... And its the only one taller...


I love the Texas Stars at night as they are big and bright!


But most of all I love that I was born here and still live here! I love the freedoms that I have and I love Texas!

Feeling totally grateful that native born Texans allow the rest of us to move here and call Texas home.

[RogueUSMC]

Feeling totally grateful that native born Texans allow the rest of us to move here and call Texas home.

As long as you keep your guns pointed in the right direction, we a-aight...lol. We are proud to have ya.

[Middle Age Russ]

What we love about anything is the positive experiences we associate with that thing. Being a native Texan, I am privileged to have a lifetime of positive memories to associate with Texas, and wake up each day with yet more. Texans who aren't native have found that Texas and Texans are big enough to embrace them and bring them into the family, so to speak. The other folks who live here in the state (those who don't and won't think of themselves as Texans at some level) are welcome to seek their greener pastures where they may.

[Pawpaw]

Feeling totally grateful that native born Texans allow the rest of us to move here and call Texas home.

As long as you keep your guns pointed in the right direction, we a-aight...lol. We are proud to have ya.

But we'll still keep an eye on you!