Bless Her Heart

Each part of the country has its own culture, dialect and language, the South included. That’s the place where you can get by with talking about someone if you add, “Bless her heart,” and somehow that is supposed to magically negate any unflattering remark.

I have often thought a book should be written that contains sayings from all across the country. Maybe an audio book could be included so the reader could also hear the accents to give a more accurate picture of each culture.

Working with the public for 35 years, I have heard all kinds of things. There are times I have to ask someone to repeat what they just said. Sometimes it’s a matter of not being able to understand them, but sometimes it’s a matter of disbelief. Did I really hear what I thought I heard? No verbal response is necessary for such a statement. A shake of the head and an eye roll is sufficient. Of course, that is only after the customer leaves.

One day a sweet Southern lady came to my window. She was one of those Southern church-going ladies who always wore a dress. Her hair was poofed up just so and she wore a smidgen of makeup with a splash of color on her cheeks and bright lipstick. Her Southern drawl couldn’t have dripped any thicker or sweeter if it had been honey. We took care of her business and then she asked what I thought was a strange question. “Is it alright to wear a flared dress to a wedding?” I looked a bit shocked and amused and said, “I don’t see a problem with wearing a flared dress to a wedding.” The conversation continued as to the appropriateness of a flared dress. I found out what the wedding party was wearing as well as the mothers of the bride and groom. Finally, she said, “So something like this would be okay?” She stepped back a few steps and lifted her skirt slightly so I could get a good look at it. That wasn’t a flared dress! Then it hit me! “Oh, you’re talking about a flowered dress.” “I think a flowered dress would be fine to wear to a wedding.” She smiled, thanked me, and walked out the door completely satisfied. After all, our institution is full-service!