mean towns

[Two-Rivers]

Originally Posted by citybilly

Wow, 2 rivers, that's downright rude. Did you try sayin' "Hey, wazzup?"
Sounds a little like LA. Making eye contact at a stop light, with a car load of gang-bangers: not a good idea.

Well, that's what started the whole thing. We made eye contact and I said "Hey, how ya doin'?" I won't repeat his words, but next came the ice pick.

Where I come from, when you make eye contact with a stranger, you give them a friendly greeting.

[snorpus]

I guess the common WV practice of waving "Hi" at every car, walker, porch-sitter you see... wouldn't go over well in Tidewater?

[Two-Rivers]

Probably would get you shot if you kept at it long enough.

Out at the farm, my arms get tired from the waving. But traffic is pretty sparse these days. Here in town, eyes front, nose up, is the way most get around.

[AliceT]

I suspect they saw what happened to the cow pastures and orange groves that made up most of central Florida until the early 80's and they don't want people moving in, taking over and changing their heavenly peace in WV. There is something to be said for offering a cold shoulder to strangers and newcomers. But I have yet to experience it. I was welcomed here by one and all. I've been trying to toughen up my new WV family so they will repel the masses from coming here and taking over this wild and wonderful state too.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by r601020

Not being from Charleston, or even West Virginia, I guess that's me they're talking about.

If I'm the worst of the bunch, this is a good thing, since all I can really do is surround myself with nice people. This is the only cure I've found for the meanness. I picked Charleston to heal, and so far, it's tried to bear with me.

Probably depends "where" in Charleston though. A woman who lives across the river told me a neighbor poisoned her dogs, people have tried to steal her car, etc., and that's the nice part of town. Nice is only on the outside I guess.

I don't know much about Charleston . . my neighbors give me fresh tomatos, talk endlessly if I want to share a cup of conversation, and are actually quite friendly considering that I'm mean. They must be the 48% who have firearms, so maybe their tolerance level of mean is a little higher.

I can't say there isn't an occasional turd floating down the river here. Not so sure I'm the problem, just an exuse for their unpleasantness. Being that I'm trying to heal, I pass along the only cure I know, and try to be nice.

I'd recommend Orlando (in Florida) if you want mean. It's where I'm originally from, and I always found it difficult to squeak a hello out of people on the street there. I was a stranger in a strange land, because more people would say hello to me in one week on the streets of New York City than I've heard my whole life in Florida. Why they would have have a town named Orlando in West Virginia is beyond me, and honestly, I've been hesitant about going there.

I wouldn't rely on rumors, just travel a bit, mean is out there. Look at people's souls -- their countenance falls the closer you get to it.

That I do believe----------I lived in Fla (W Palm Beach area) for about 4 months back in 1982.

People may joke about the nuts, fruit and flakes of then California but; what really struck me about Fla was the inordinate number of jerks---------which made Calif look great by comparision.

[r601020]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

what really struck me about Fla was the inordinate number of jerks

Yeah, but sometimes stepping out of the box, I can't say it was all bad. It did have a culture of shooting people if they honked their horn, and indirectly, that could be a good thing. Some places think a city of honking horns is normal. To me, it's just noisy.

[David Kennedy]

Years ago Oregon had signs at the borders.."Come and visit but don't stay too long!"

Something to that effect...was not to interested in a lot of change and having people move in...very simple then...shipping from the ports, fisherys, both inland and coastal sea, timber industry and water power generation and a lot of farming, dairy, grain and vegetable.

No state sales tax and no state income tax...

It's mostly all gone now...and has become a way-station for the migration out of Asia and California...still has no sales tax but property taxes are horrible (about 3 times the rate of Wv)...everyone who is able, lives in Washington (which is cheaper), and buys their goods in Oregon...

We are on our way to being taxed to death...and that is the last tax, the estate tax that prevents us from handing any wealth down to the kids. People are a crop too..they pull us out by the roots when we are finished...