High School Daze

[FarLeftRage]

I don’t usually post anything about my personal life here, but I feel in the mood to make an exception tonight.

Way back when in 1974, my family relocated from point “A” to point “B” on account of my Dad’s employer moving him and his job.

Now point “A”, being at the time was located somewhere in central New York state and point “B” being a small town in the Mid-west…. And it shall remain nameless at this time.

It was a month or so when I got used to the reality of being here in a high school, a total stranger and having the locals asking me ALL sorts of questions…

Them: “So you’re from New York, must be kinda strange you livin’ here in a small town?”

Me: “No, it is not strange at all…”

Them: “I mean you’re from New York City… lotsa of action and stuff going on. Say, do you know where I can get a dime bag?”

Me: “I’m not from New York City. I’m from rural upstate New York… In fact, my hometown is about half the size of this ‘city’. I do not where to get a dime bag… if you find out, let me know.”

Them: “Yeah, well to us, New York means very big city. So what the hell kinda hunky name is P------?”

Me: “I am of Italian heritage.”

Them: “I was gonna say that sounds like one of them there eye-talon names… you eat a lotta spaghetti?”

Me: “I eat spaghetti once a week…”

Them: “Just once a week? How come, you only eat it once a week?”

Before I could answer, I heard someone in the background making a crude noise and a few remarks followed by some laughter. Then the inquisition got a bit personal…

Them: “So that you know, none of the sophomore girls thinks very much of you…”

Me: “Well, I don’t expect them to… after all I’m not a native.”

Them: “Not a native? Are you making fun of us?”

Me: “No, I’m not.”

Them: “You’re not one of them there funny boys are you?”

Me: “I have a sense of humor… I can tell and laugh at funny jokes and stories with the best of them…”

Them: “What? Are you shittin’ me here? You’re from New York and you don’t know what a funny boy is?”

Me: “Must be a local term, if you’re referring to something else.”

Just then, a girl not more than my age or younger called me and I left the locals standing there before they could ask me any more questions. And yes, I was wondering just what a “funny boy “ was to them.

This was just one of the many events from my high school daze.

[hfojvt]

1. I always had to explain the distinction between NY and NYC

to my fellow dakotans. Kinda funny that there was a girl from my school who moved to Ithaca, NY in 1979.
I never got a chance to be "the new kid". I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.

[FarLeftRage]

3. I have had other New Yorkers tell me the same thing

That they would be in another part of the country and having to tell the locals they weren't from the city.

I do suspect that it is probably a good thing that you were never the "new kid"... but this is based on my own experiences.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. We moved from Syracuse, NY back home to Greendale, WI in 1980.

But my classmates only told me that I had a funny sounding "New York" accent. And they asked what the city was like. I told them I had never been there and that was the end of that. :hi:

[FarLeftRage]

4. Hi MrsG!

Yes, I got the accent treatment as well and then some...

[tigereye]

5. that's funny

I went to a semi-rural high school, about the same period of time, and one of my most amusing memories is of three of us in a very small advanced lit class. One guy had moved to our SW PA area from Michigan and he was probably way more sophisticated than we were. Drugs were quite common there, and I can still picture this female friend( she was from our area) pulling out her bag of pot to show me while the teacher was out of the room. I didn't indulge at the time, but it was so funny. Things were that blatant then, I think it was before drug and locker searches became common.

It still makes me laugh to think of it... it seems so innocent in a weird sort of way.

[Jim__]

6. I grew up in New York City.

Back in the 80's, when I lived in Oregon, I had to go to upstate New York to work in a company that my company had taken over. When I told some people there that I had grown up in New York, and they found out I meant New York City, they told me New York City is not part of New York - and these were not high school kids.

[realisticphish]

7. Oddly enough

i've had the OPPOSITE happen, in college.

"where you from?"
"oh, out in the middle of nowhere, rural ohio"
"Do you live on a farm?"
"Uh, no, just out in the country"
"What do you do fof fun? Ride horses?"
"No, I talk on the internet, go to movies, etc"
"Are you on welfare?"

and so on...