My sister and her boyfriend are visiting us this weekend, from faraway North Carolina. That seems odd to write: "faraway North Carolina." But it's accurate. Sometimes the people on the other side of this nation are like aliens, in their manners, their habits, and especially their speech. From my travels around the world I got the distinct impression that people think that the "USA" is one country, but it doesn't take much wandering around these states to realize that though they might be united in some sense, they are still very different states. I can no more understand a native from the hills of carolina than I can someone from the hills of Wales.
Finn decided to go AWOL upon their arrival. As soon as sis+BF walked through the door, he was nowhere to be found. It turned out that he'd burrowed underneath the duvet on the bed in the master bedroom and -- in lumplike form -- was hiding there. Slowly, over the course of hours, we finally coaxed him out. Perhaps he was filled with scared memories of the recent move, and of riding in a moving car for two days, or perhaps he just got frightened because his newly secure world in my home was suddenly disrupted again -- whatever the cause, he was terrified. But he came out, finally, and made friends. Perhaps because we were in the living room sipping wine for hours, and laughing and chatting together like family do.
For whatever reason, it's gotten me thinking about language. Perhaps it's the Carolina factor, or the introduction of the new and the strange to a little fellow who did not expect them. Regardless, I'm chuckling at it now, before I go burrow under that same duvet myself. Chuckling at how my 5-year-old nephew sternly corrected me for calling a "torch" a flashlight, or how he broke out in peals of laughter when I declared that I "can't find my pants" one morning at his mother's (my sister's) home. How "brilliant!" is such a multifaceted expression in England and Australia, meaning everything from surprise and joy to irony and disgust.
But mostly just happy that there's black cat flying around the house, a sleepy girl under that duvet, my sister in town, the downtime to think about ridiculous things, and a few days of sunlight in the forecast. What a big change from a couple of years ago!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Interesting how brand 'USA' is seen as totally homogenous (or, hereabouts, homogeneous) by outsiders. I was lucky enough to have San Francisco, then Seattle, then southern California as my introduction many years ago, and it was amongst the first things to strike me: hey! these places are all different! (Despite their clear west coast commonality.)
ReplyDeleteThat's why I adore road trips with newbies. At some point they eventually get that it's a federation of very different places, with vastly different histories too.
And that's why I'll never run out of road trips and new places to see. That makes me very happy. (Although if there was a train system of the kind we both dream of, Martian, I'd have twice the number of trips to do. Once by train, then by road. And then train again, coz I love them too.)
Poor Finn. Noise, new smells, new people. No wonder he's seeking bed solace.
Poor Finn :-(
ReplyDeleteMy cousin's cat (which passed away years ago) was super shy. I had to stay with my aunt and uncle for a few months one time. The silly cat hid from me during the first 1.5 month when I was there. One day, I found him staring at me when I was brushing my teeth. Later, he learned he could boss me around by making that sad meowing sound to make me open the door for him.
Have you ever watched the Dog Whisperer? I wonder if Finn was reacting to the change in energy on their arrival and the change again once you all settled in with a glass of wine.
ReplyDeleteAs much as there are many, many different kinds of Americans, take them out of the states and they have more in common with each other than they do with an awful lot of people on this planet!
Exactly, Wombat. You're in a better position than most to know, too, when it comes to the variability across the nation. I love introducing newbies to the phenomenon as well -- particularly my old Colorado friends to B'ham and Seattle.
ReplyDeleteAnd trains. Sigh. Did you know that there is a train from SEATAC all the way into King Station now? I may never drive to the airport again!
That's hilarious about your kitty, Tiny! I have no resistance against the sad meowing, either. Since Finn was snipped as a little kitten, his meows are little high chirps even though he's a teenager cat now, which never fails to get an "Awww, little man!" response.
DG, I bet that you're right re: the energy of the situation. When it was calm and cozy, he strutted right out, but he really couldn't handle the explosive frenzy of the arrival. I'm going to keep that in mind the next time we plan a change in his little environment!
Yes, a beautiful, happy change. I'm grinning for you.
ReplyDelete