Is it a cart or a buggy?

When I used to teach first grade, I did multiple units on writing. I taught my first graders that one of the important steps in the prewriting process is determining your audience. So, when I began to write this blog I started to think about who my intended audience might be. A large majority of my friends, family, and aquaintences are either in Alaska/from Alaska or the deep south (mostly Mississippi). So my audience is Alaskans and Mississippians.

Another step in prewriting is deciding your purpose. My main purpose is just to have fun and write a little about my life. However, I thought it would also be good to write about the differences in Alaska and Mississippi. I get a lot of questions from Mississippians about life in AK, and occasionaly I will get a few about living in the south from my friends up north. So, here is a little info I started thinking about at Walmart yesterday.

When I first moved to Mississippi, one of my first trips with my roommate away from campus was a quick trip to Kroger. To you non-southern people, Kroger is a grocery store. We don't have Carrs or Fred Meyer here. Anyway, my roommate and I were walking into Kroger and going over the list of things to buy. We needed a lot. You know how college students can go through groceries! My roommate turns to me and asks, "Hey, can you go grab us a buggy?" I said "What?" She again asked politly, thinking myabe I just didn't hear her. "Can you go get a buggy?" And again "What are you talking about?" So at this point my roommate thinks I am either deaf or really stupid, so she yells in my ear. "Please, go get a buggy! We have to get a lot of stuff!" Catching on I realize, she is talking about something to push around the store with our groceries in, I go and get...a cart. I explain to her, kindly, of course, "Dear, this is not a buggy. Horses pull buggies. This is a cart."

Over the years of living in Mississippi, I have have many friendly disagreements with people over these terms. I have not gotten anyone to really understand my point of veiw. So, I have sort of given up on that one. I will take this time to point out- even Walmart calls them carts. Next time you are in a Walmart parking lot look at the Cart Return areas. It says something about "We are not responsible for any damage caused by CARTS." There, I rest my case.

You know the saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"? Well, I might have to say "When in Mississippi, do as the Mississippians do." In fact, yesterday I found myself walking out of Walmart pushing my cart of groceries and I remarked to Caleb "Caleb, this is the smoothest-rolling buggy I've had in awhile."

Dang it.