THE SOUTH: Southern Hospitality
LOCAL REALTOR BRAVES TRIP TO DEEP SOUTH
Film at eleven. Well, almost! Yes, it is true; I got back last week from Memphis and Jackson Tennessee after a 9-day visit with my “baby” sisters Janis and Linda. And visited 82-year-old Mama.
Now, I wonder, if you all understand how brave I was! First of all, there’s the language barrier. I mean, you tell me what this phrase means, “Ya-all ladies come back and see us, ya-all hear? That’s what the bubbly waitress said as we left a restaurant in Jackson. (They all sound like they’ve been drinking out of a Dixie cup). And what right did she have to be so happy and cute anyway? Full of energy and delighted to help us. This only 2 weeks after the entire downtown area of Jackson had been torn to pieces by the tornado. Looks like London must have looked after the bombings in WW II! There we sat with so much jovial talk around us—chatting with the same owner who stood in the street 2 weeks before cooking on a BBQ and distributing food because all of his food was rotting in a refrigerator with no electricity. What’s the matter with these people? Don’t they know the meaning of defeat? Evidently not. And, how delightful is it to be addressed as, “Ma’m” and, “Yes Ma’m” by people older and younger than me! Even those with the most menial jobs seemed happy to serve us and behaved as if it was a privilege! What a concept! Hey, this is my roots! I can learn something here! I want to have more of that attitude in my life, in my business! It’s a privilege to serve people! I’m carrying that home with me!
But I digress. I had decided, in my martyrdom state of mind, to go to Jackson to see my family and vowed never once to gripe about the mosquitoes that I knew were viciously lurking around waiting for me. Every morning I sprayed on repellent armed and ready. Well, the jokes on me. They never appeared! It was still spring and they’re not out yet! They did arrive the day after I left. There is a God. And I wasn’t going to complain about the heat and humidity, either. But the weatherman called my bluff! It was a perfect 70-75 degrees with no humidity at all!
Now, what do you suppose a realtor loves to do on vacation besides eat everything in sight? You got it. Janis and I went shopping for homes! She needs to get out of that 3000 plus square foot mansion, poor baby, on 2 acres where the majority of her life is spent mowing. Her life as a school counselor doesn’t allow much spare time for that. So, are you ready for this? We found 1500-1700 square foot homes 2-3 years new in gorgeous neighborhoods for $112,000 to $119,000—on half acre or more lots. You knew it already. Even though Jackson is the perfect mid sized town one hour outside Memphis, population a perfect 80,000 or so, center of the medical community for the county and college community and home of Casey Jones the railroad engineer, still homes are reasonable. Major sticker shock for me and actually a good experience to know better the feelings my buyers and sellers go through. It was fun being the sister of the buyer and enjoying her thought processes—not that different than what my clients go through here! And I found myself giving her the same advice as here. Do it now. The rates are in your favor. It’s nice to find out that what I say to clients I really believe myself.
Well, we had fun! And I realized that my family isn’t that far away. A four-hour flight. I even tried to sneak some southern hospitality into my luggage to bring home and, hopefully, spread around here. Surely, we all could stand a little more jovial attitude, language barrier and all. I was also pleased with the tough security check at LAX and Memphis. They checked every inch of my luggage. Did they think I look like a terrorist? I don’t know. I’m just glad they’re doing it. I felt safer.
It will take me a few days to get my mouth back to normal but I’m working on it. You won’t mind if I address you with a, “Yes ma’m” or “Yes sir” once in awhile, will you? Meanwhile, I realize that I came back more refreshed and blessed than when I went. That makes it worth all the imagined risks of mosquitoes, humidity, tornadoes and terrorists. Visiting my roots was a wake up call. So, ya’ll give me a call when you need me, ya’ll hear? I’d be mighty privileged!
Film at eleven. Well, almost! Yes, it is true; I got back last week from Memphis and Jackson Tennessee after a 9-day visit with my “baby” sisters Janis and Linda. And visited 82-year-old Mama.
Now, I wonder, if you all understand how brave I was! First of all, there’s the language barrier. I mean, you tell me what this phrase means, “Ya-all ladies come back and see us, ya-all hear? That’s what the bubbly waitress said as we left a restaurant in Jackson. (They all sound like they’ve been drinking out of a Dixie cup). And what right did she have to be so happy and cute anyway? Full of energy and delighted to help us. This only 2 weeks after the entire downtown area of Jackson had been torn to pieces by the tornado. Looks like London must have looked after the bombings in WW II! There we sat with so much jovial talk around us—chatting with the same owner who stood in the street 2 weeks before cooking on a BBQ and distributing food because all of his food was rotting in a refrigerator with no electricity. What’s the matter with these people? Don’t they know the meaning of defeat? Evidently not. And, how delightful is it to be addressed as, “Ma’m” and, “Yes Ma’m” by people older and younger than me! Even those with the most menial jobs seemed happy to serve us and behaved as if it was a privilege! What a concept! Hey, this is my roots! I can learn something here! I want to have more of that attitude in my life, in my business! It’s a privilege to serve people! I’m carrying that home with me!
But I digress. I had decided, in my martyrdom state of mind, to go to Jackson to see my family and vowed never once to gripe about the mosquitoes that I knew were viciously lurking around waiting for me. Every morning I sprayed on repellent armed and ready. Well, the jokes on me. They never appeared! It was still spring and they’re not out yet! They did arrive the day after I left. There is a God. And I wasn’t going to complain about the heat and humidity, either. But the weatherman called my bluff! It was a perfect 70-75 degrees with no humidity at all!
Now, what do you suppose a realtor loves to do on vacation besides eat everything in sight? You got it. Janis and I went shopping for homes! She needs to get out of that 3000 plus square foot mansion, poor baby, on 2 acres where the majority of her life is spent mowing. Her life as a school counselor doesn’t allow much spare time for that. So, are you ready for this? We found 1500-1700 square foot homes 2-3 years new in gorgeous neighborhoods for $112,000 to $119,000—on half acre or more lots. You knew it already. Even though Jackson is the perfect mid sized town one hour outside Memphis, population a perfect 80,000 or so, center of the medical community for the county and college community and home of Casey Jones the railroad engineer, still homes are reasonable. Major sticker shock for me and actually a good experience to know better the feelings my buyers and sellers go through. It was fun being the sister of the buyer and enjoying her thought processes—not that different than what my clients go through here! And I found myself giving her the same advice as here. Do it now. The rates are in your favor. It’s nice to find out that what I say to clients I really believe myself.
Well, we had fun! And I realized that my family isn’t that far away. A four-hour flight. I even tried to sneak some southern hospitality into my luggage to bring home and, hopefully, spread around here. Surely, we all could stand a little more jovial attitude, language barrier and all. I was also pleased with the tough security check at LAX and Memphis. They checked every inch of my luggage. Did they think I look like a terrorist? I don’t know. I’m just glad they’re doing it. I felt safer.
It will take me a few days to get my mouth back to normal but I’m working on it. You won’t mind if I address you with a, “Yes ma’m” or “Yes sir” once in awhile, will you? Meanwhile, I realize that I came back more refreshed and blessed than when I went. That makes it worth all the imagined risks of mosquitoes, humidity, tornadoes and terrorists. Visiting my roots was a wake up call. So, ya’ll give me a call when you need me, ya’ll hear? I’d be mighty privileged!
posted by Ann Baker, Realtor at
7:09 PM
