Is the South Dying?

I moved to a small town way outside of Atlanta ten years ago, from a large town just outside of D.C.. I remember my first two words in "Southern" were "Sir" and "Ma'am." i waved to everyone i passed, and it didn't matter if i knew them or not. After the first time we waved a relationship was forged. I left my small town after high school, and moved to a larger, more southern valley town. Large enough in number, but small in size, everyone was connected to everyone by two degrees. The two times i was caught BWI (biking while intoxicated) the officers already knew me by name.

So it was a bit of a shock to me when i moved back to the D.C., and found that when you wave to someone, you might get shot, or at least, you will get a dirty look. SO i kept my hand down, and my head up right, eyes straight ahead the entire year i spent around the bay.

When I got back to the south, i was ready and egger to get back in to the swing of things: the "yes sirs," "yes ma'ams," the random conversations at the market, in the elevator, the wave and the smile to Whoever makes eye contact with you. Instead i was met with a different greeting, for instance my gf comes to town for a week and her car gets broken into, my bag, my camera, my cds all stolen GONE. I expect that shit in B-more, heck D.C even, but not the Atl. Two nights later some of our friends get a DUI, but honestly were sober enough to talk, walk and drive. My favorite store gets robbed the DAY i bought my new flip flops from them I go to wave to people now, but they look away before i can get my hand up! And every time i turn on the local news i get to hear the glorious (that was for you sTs) story of how some f$#^k killed an old lady, or molested a child. Honestly, what happened to southern hospitality? Is the Southern way of living fading? Have the Yankee impostors taken over?
That is one thing about atlanta i've always noticed, no one is actually From atlanta, most are yanks who came down for cheaper living, or job relocations. So maybe that is it. Maybe it is the stress of todays economy on the average American, maybe its the election, maybe i'm just making BS excuses.

If the south is dying, then that is left, America as we know will never be the same
without Southern Hospitality.


Be kind to your neighbor, you waste energy being anything but.
i'm sleepy, i'll proof read later