I miss the South

Hubby and I decided rather spontaneously to go on a date tonight. Well, ok, it was actually my idea. And I didn't really have much of a gameplan other than getting dressed and leaving the apartment.

Anyway, we went to Outback for supper (always an excellent choice) and then we decided to catch a movie. We were going to see Sweeney Todd, but the next showing wasn't for another 2 hours. National Treasure 2, however, had a showing scheduled within a half-hour. We were both pretty interested in that movie, so we got in line at the ticket window. Behind a group of 3 teenage girls. Who had a very California vibe. I'm not sure what the issue was with their transaction, but they were at the window for a good solid 10 minutes. And the line behind us was getting long and impatient.

And here is the part that made me miss the South. The man directly behind us in line started getting vocal with his impatience. Evidently he didn't want to miss the movie he hadn't yet bought tickets for. So he proceeded to curse the girls out. Loudly. And there I was stuck between this vulgar man and those teenage girls. In a state of complete shock. I mean, I'm used to the prevalance of good old fashioned Southern manners. Were this same situation to have occured back home, the man would have been just as impatient, but he would have expressed himself much more passive-aggressively. Muttering under his breath or huffing and shifting body weight. But a middle-aged man loudly and publicly cursing out teenage girls? Never! Hubby says that's because in the South you never know who has a hunting rifle back in their truck. Whatever. I just know the whole situation made me homesick.

The funny thing was, a few minutes after we had settled in our seats, this same man walked into the theater for National Treasure 2. A full 5 minutes before the 20 minutes of previews began. All that sound and fury over those girls wasting his time and making him late. For nothing. Why are people like that?