When I lived in Wisconsin, I could genuinely say, "When I speak, people listen." Unfortunately, it was because of my Southern drawl, not my wisdom. I'd be paying my bill at the grocery store and if I said anything - just one word - everyone around turned to stare at me. I felt like an alien!
Then we took a trip to St. Louis. At a gas station, someone saw our license plate and asked, "Where in Wisconsin are you from?" I told him, "Green Lake,” but he looked at me kind of funny, like I had some 'splainin' to do. So I'd say, "I talk funny because I'm really from North Carolina."
We went on to Alabama. A waitress there asked, "Can I take yawls'es order?" Right on! Yesss! I let my barriers down and started slurring vowels and stretching syllables, and soon forgot I had ever been a vocal misfit.
Driving back to Wisconsin, we stopped at a hotel in Kentucky. Warm air and leafy trees made me feel I was still in the South. I ordered a drink at the bar, then headed for the pool. Later, my husband ordered a drink at the same bar and the bartender said to him, "Your wife was in here a few minutes ago." The vacation was over. We were a pair of vocal misfits again.
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