I often say that, while I like living in Pensacola a whole lot more than I did in Ohio, I liked the people of Ohio a lot more. This has forced me to do some thinking the last few months as to why people down here in LA (Lower Alabama - if this isn't funny, look on a map and/or come experience the culture here) bother me so. I have come to determine that the underlying factor is situational awareness.
People in LA have no SA. This is most apparent when one gets in a car. From driving abreast at the same speed, to not paying attention to lights, to not changing lanes out of courtesy when one is trying to merge, to generally being confused as to what is going on around them, LA drivers are horrible. I would even say they're worse than Minnesota drivers, but that's only because Minn. drivers have to drive in winter (and they do an ok job then).
SA also affects the ability for LAns to follow simple tasks, such as food orders. The other day I was at a Hardees and made an apparently very complicated order: 1 Thickburger, 1 Lg Fry, 1 Ice Water. No special instructions, no long list, no long line in the drive through, nothing that was ambiguous or hard. The order was even repeated back and was correct on my receipt. However, upon getting home, I realized they had given me some special-order burger with twice the meat and no toppings. I love toppings. The funny thing is that I wasn't surprised that they screwed up. This is just one example of something that happens frequently in LA: probably 50-75% of the time simple orders are screwed up. I've pointed to items on menus as I read them and still received the wrong food. I've received quesadillas with half of them being just 2 tortilla shells with nothing inside. Eating out in Pensacola requires extra SA on behalf of the customer, cause your order's probably wrong.
Another common problem I encounter, which is a result of a lifetime of no SA, is people who are condescending in that they think they're smarter than me because they can't understand my question, and thus think it's a dumb question. This happens frequently at stores. I'll ask a question about something I'm looking for, and I'll get this dumb look that says, "that's a really stupid question," and then a response that had absolutely nothing to do with my question. I try explaining it in different ways with the same response. It wouldn't be so bad, except that the response given is often quite condescending. I know it isn't me, though, because I didn't have this problem in Minnesota or Ohio. Perhaps they become condescending because of my northern accent and overall northerniness.
Which makes me think that maybe all these problems are because I'm a Damn Yankee. Apparently, my grandparents had a debate as to whether this was one word or two. My grandma (from the south), said it was one, but I'm sticking with my northern grandpa and keeping it two. I just don't fit in down in LA. I'm from the north, and will always be. They say people in the south are friendly, charming, and nice. I guess there are some.
But there were plenty of friendly people in Ohio too - more so, actually. They also say people in the south are dumb. They might be right. At least they don't have any SA, which makes one pragmatically dumb, if not truly dumb. Regardless, I'm a Damn Yankee, and my state fought to free the slaves. Of that I can be proud.
