30days30years

Sugar to Ma’am

I love the southern drawl. It makes you feel like you are part of a club or something the way they talk… Last time I was in these parts it was all ‘how can I help you there sugar?’ But now I think I have officially moved into middle age-dom because everyone is calling me ‘ma’am’ – ‘Yes ma’am that is correct.’

I’ve become like my friend Fav who got a new job once and  heard through a friend that lived in the town that all of her staff were going around saying that their new boss was some middle aged woman. She was only 31 at the time! She was horrified. We thought it was hilarious!

No so funny now, it seems, since I’ve been heaped into the same category.

Today I was walking along the street and came across a could of men camped out in the rain outside the place where you buy tickets to Dollywood. They had a big banner with Shame on Dolly Parton written in big red letters. “What’d she do?” I asked one of the men. “It’s a labour dispute, ma’am…” (say in Forrest Gump tone).

"Shame on Dolly Parton"

Turns out there is some construction company doing work at Dollywood which has chosen to bring in itinerant workers instead of hiring locals. The man claims a lot of the workers are undocumented and with locals having to pay taxes to cater for this influx of workers “it will cause more crime and social ills”.

I also moved hotels to a cheaper option which turns out to be not much different to the more “upmarket” Best Western I stayed in last night. It even has a recliner chair in the corner of the room. (funny). I keep having flashes from the film No Country for Old Men though. Maybe I should sleep in the bath tub or something? Just to be on the safe side. The two women I’ve met at the reception so far are both a little creepy with that really stiff set hair that gives off an air of serial killer. Still, the older of the two was kind enough to give me some vouchers for free pancakes at a nearby diner so I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt! (for now).

New digs