Geh-Rrrrw-ughhh-nd

On my connecting Flight through Detroit last Wednesday night, I heard a fat, golf-attired, balding, visor wearing, 50-something year old red neck man on his cell phone, waiting to get on the flight to South Carolina, say to the person he was speaking to on his phone that he would "Call ya when we git oWWW-h  da  Geh-rrrrw-ughhh-nd."  

I couldn't help but notice, and it made me laugh inside.  It always takes me by surprise, the first time I hear a strrrrong southern drawl spoken, even after living in South Carolina for 16 years of my adult life.  My, how they love their diphthongs.  Whatever would the southerners do without their precious vowels... and tea.. and humidity.. and residual segregation.. and golf... and 'culture of heritage' (yes, a heritage of racial hatred and oppression).. but a DEEP love of vowels, and turning simple words into poly syllabics when they should not be.

I mean no offense to my Southern friends. co-workers, blog visitors, and former neighbors.  There are some really very nice people in the South, here and there, once you get to know them, or make it through their cultural filters, language barriers, and xenophobia.