It DO

I DO often revert to my "home" lingo.  I was born in Arkansas.  I'm related to anyone who is from Arkansas.  I don't see any way around it.  My father insists that my mother in five minutes can find either a mutual acquaintance or a family member. 

I played the "Arkansas Game" not that long ago.  I was at a teacher conference and there was a gal from Pine Bluff.  "Let's Play!!" I say to her and I ask her to name off three family names.  She does.  I do the same and get to the third and she says "Stop."  She tells me her husband's mother has the same name.  It's uncommon.  I ask her if her mother-in-law is one of Uncle Gus's daughters and she says that in fact that is the case.  This means that I'm 5th cousin to her husband.  (I think that's right...his grandfather was my great-grandfather's brother). 

Regardless, even if I come from humble origins, I learned to turn a phrase or two.  I learned that one says I do, it does, Who did?  It KILLS me to hear kids use DO for all three.  I inquire gently and they understand the correct usage, they just choose . . . ignorance. 

I correct grammar all the time.  That's how I was raised.  Even my Arkansas people understood that we may drink tea out of a jelly jar when we are working in the yard but we don't serve that same jelly jar to company.  We offer up our best tea tumbler to polite company and we also speak correctly to polite company.  The way I was raised taught me that everyone deserved polite regard.  No exceptions.  None.  Not a single one.

I was taught that it was bad manners to attract attention to oneself in public.  I thought about that today when I was on Buckner trying to listen to NPR.  The jackass in the truck ahead of me had his radio on louder than mine and I couldn't hear the interview (on the radio in MY car with my windows rolled up) that was SO interesting.  The jackass also had something testicular hanging from his bumper.  It looked like baggy red testicles.  I suppose that was making a statement also.  I HAVE BIG RED SAGGY BALLS. 

Polite.  Polite society.  Polite regard. 

What a concept.