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Old 12-10-2018, 10:15 AM
 
10,787 posts, read 8,712,292 times
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If people from other cities/places are so friendly why didn't I get any positive reactions when I purposefully greeted folks in Philly for Army/Navy Game this past Sat. ?

Two of my great-nephews went to the Naval Academy and are currently serving in the Pacific. My paternal grandfather was in the Navy before WWI. So I'm a Navy person.

But, saying, "Go Navy!" meant nothing to the any of the folks I saw getting on the BSL or seeing any on the street. What I got were blank stares and looks of indifference.
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Old 12-10-2018, 07:54 PM
 
Location: South Park, San Diego
6,109 posts, read 10,847,805 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pine to Vine View Post
My experience is different here. Regarding your bolded point, I think you are describing friendliness rather than friendly. I spent 26 years living in Houston before moving to Philly nearly eight years ago. In Houston, it was quite common when running into acquaintances to close the conversation as follows: "We'll have to get together sometime." Of course, this rarely happened - it was merely a cultural practice. And when it did happen, however, it entailed sharing dinner at a restaurant.

In Philly, however, people follow up on the promise to "get together soon." And in those instances, more often than not, we have been invited into people's homes. In fact, we have been invited into more homes in our 8 years in Philly than we were in our 26 years in Houston.

To me, it comes down to the difference between being polite vs being friendly.
That’s nice to hear. Living in a place where not only real live planned get togethers/dinner parties at homes happen often but also unplanned drop-byes (usually announced by a text a few minutes prior) are generally welcomed unless other plans or activities - and that may very well be “just not feeling social right now” - which is perfectly acceptable. We are very social people and nearly always attempt to engage in conversation with all types of strangers in a setting where here seems to be an in to do so. We found that dynamic existed enough so during our recent visit in Philly to feel its otherwise sometimes gruff on the outside tell it like it is persona (I married an outspoken New Englander) was mostly a great way to start a conversation.

From our first moment landing there and taking the train into the city we had a great conversation in the train car about the Grateful Dead and music (my husband is a long time DeadHead) with a husband and wife from Philly but now living in Seattle and back visiting, the city we were so excited to explore and architecture- the wife was an architect - I looked at my husband upon arriving at the station after our fun conversation that ended up also engaging a few other folks in the car and now ready to walk a few blocks to the hotel and exclaimed “and you wanted to take an Uber?!”

Even though I mentioned Pennsylvanians well known lack of transitory nature in another post, I find that the “everybody you really ever needed to meet you already met in high school” is especially prominent in the Mid-West/Plains states despite the otherwise pleasant and peripherally engaging nature of most of its citizens.

Sure, the folks you meet in service relationship in a restaurant or shop will be nice but try to ever get invited over for brunch or dinner with them. That is a tough nut to crack. This come from personal experience - my dad’s side of the family is from western Nebraska and I spent many summers working on the family farm and ranch there, and trust me, every neighbor would come over to cook, clean or harvest the crop or brand the cattle if someone they knew needed some help which is a wonderful thing. But if you weren’t their neighbor for decades or went to their church that wasn’t gonna happen. And also from very engaging friends that I met here in San Diego from St. Louis (a wonderful city they graciously showed me when I visited) who are a fabulously friendly, smart gay couple who moved back to St. Louis to do some house flipping and even as natives often bemoaned about rarely being let in to already firmly established cliques there.

Last edited by T. Damon; 12-10-2018 at 08:02 PM..
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Old 12-11-2018, 03:23 PM
 
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,809 posts, read 34,533,091 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katarina Witt View Post
You beat me to it, KansastoSouthphilly!

And kyb01, I really don't care that the Europeans don't "get" American-style "friendliness" as you call it. It's hardly friendliness to treat your customers well and be polite to them. What on earth is wrong with asking if they can help? Today I was at a Home Depot in a city I shall not name (though I'd like to give them crap on the WWW). It took at least 20 minutes to get someone to help me buy a very specific light bulb for the light in a ceiling fan. I had no idea where I would find it in this large HD. I told someone working there who couldn't help me b/c it wasn't her department if I didn't really need it badly, I would have left without it. Here I am, in a strange (to me) store; my spouse who usually does the HD shopping in the hospital, and I can't get anyone to help me. And what's wrong with asking if you need anything else when they're done ringing you up? Maybe you were looking for something else (like a light bulb) and couldn't find it so gave up.
OK, you say you've talked to people from the Philadelphia area, and seen clips on TV. Have you been to Philadelphia?
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Old 12-11-2018, 03:49 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,464,273 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southbound_295 View Post
OK, you say you've talked to people from the Philadelphia area, and seen clips on TV. Have you been to Philadelphia?
Yes.
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Old 12-11-2018, 04:47 PM
 
10,787 posts, read 8,712,292 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Katarina Witt View Post
Yes.
Does the real Katarina Witt know you are "using" her name?
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Old 12-11-2018, 05:02 PM
 
4,823 posts, read 4,922,870 times
Reputation: 2162
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katarina Witt View Post
You beat me to it, KansastoSouthphilly!

And kyb01, I really don't care that the Europeans don't "get" American-style "friendliness" as you call it. It's hardly friendliness to treat your customers well and be polite to them. What on earth is wrong with asking if they can help? Today I was at a Home Depot in a city I shall not name (though I'd like to give them crap on the WWW). It took at least 20 minutes to get someone to help me buy a very specific light bulb for the light in a ceiling fan. I had no idea where I would find it in this large HD. I told someone working there who couldn't help me b/c it wasn't her department if I didn't really need it badly, I would have left without it. Here I am, in a strange (to me) store; my spouse who usually does the HD shopping in the hospital, and I can't get anyone to help me. And what's wrong with asking if you need anything else when they're done ringing you up? Maybe you were looking for something else (like a light bulb) and couldn't find it so gave up.
Home Depot is not known for its customer service. You’re pretty much on your own in these stores. It’s not the city you’re in thing but more of if can find a store floor- department rep to help you.
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Old 12-11-2018, 05:19 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,464,273 times
Reputation: 35920
Quote:
Originally Posted by kyb01 View Post
Does the real Katarina Witt know you are "using" her name?
I don't know. The mods approved it.
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Old 12-11-2018, 05:26 PM
 
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,809 posts, read 34,533,091 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katarina Witt View Post
Yes.
My experience in Philadelphia has not been rude, mean people. It's been the opposite. Since that is the actual topic of the thread, rather than people talking about old vs new money 50 years ago, or an employee in a Home Depot in an unnamed location, what was your actual experience in Philadelphia?
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Old 12-11-2018, 06:28 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,464,273 times
Reputation: 35920
Quote:
Originally Posted by southbound_295 View Post
My experience in Philadelphia has not been rude, mean people. It's been the opposite. Since that is the actual topic of the thread, rather than people talking about old vs new money 50 years ago, or an employee in a Home Depot in an unnamed location, what was your actual experience in Philadelphia?
I was discussing:
1. My experience with Philadelphians and their obsession with "old money" when I first encountered a significant number of them.
2. My experience at a store that does not give good customer service when a poster went on about how Europeans don't "get" American-style service and he personally doesn't either. He doesn't care about customer service; I don't care what Europeans think about the US.

I would say the post I quoted above is pretty rude itself.

I don't recall any particularly good or bad experiences in Philadelphia.

BTW: Did this thread get moved?
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Old 12-11-2018, 06:30 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,464,273 times
Reputation: 35920
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kamms View Post
Home Depot is not known for its customer service. You’re pretty much on your own in these stores. It’s not the city you’re in thing but more of if can find a store floor- department rep to help you.
Yes, I know that. There didn't seem to be enough people working there to help the customers. This store is in metro Denver.
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