“Look around and see what you can find. You’re welcome to use anything I’ve got that you need.”
————
Generosity is alive and well in Appalachia.
Tipper
Overheard: snippets of conversation I overhear in Southern Appalachia
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Yep. I was raised that way in NW PA too.
God bless.
RB
<><
Tipper,
Every time I talked to Pap, when he was about to leave I’d hear “Go Home With Me!” I’ve heard my Daddy say that many times too.
Hope you all have a good time in Murphy at the Art, River, and Music Festival today. …Ken
What a great blessing to self and others a generous spirit is!
I have studied about this many times before, and the generosity of the folks in my area still amazes me. In my own neighborhood I find gifts of fresh vegetables and even a bird feeder. They taught me well, as it is great to share my plants and seeds. Sometimes I will call to see if they need me to pick anything up when I am out. We believe the more we share from our garden the better it bears. But even with such wonderful neighbors my area cannot touch McDowell County WV.
It is almost unbelievable how the kind occupants of McDowell County always showed extraordinary consideration. I worked neighboring counties, and grew to love those people. Most would ask if you would like something to drink as soon as you entered. What was even more remarkable was the many times a cold bottle of water, a slice of fresh melon, and once a summer salad was just placed there in front of me. I will never forget a turkey dinner all boxed up was handed to me as I left one home. It can only be referred to as extreme kindness, and even my own sweet neighbors do not go to that extra extreme to be kind. Once within 5 minutes of smoke rolling out from under my hood, a nice man rushed over and helped me with this temporary crisis.
Since retirement I have pondered why those people were so beyond kind. There has been very little movement into this impoverished area, so mostly what is left is those whose families have been there for generations. Was it because I was there to help them or was this just their upbringing? I may never know, but I will never forget them!
“How much do I owe you?”
“Oh, nothing, you’d a dunnit for me.”
“How much do I owe you?”
“If I charged you, you’d have to pay me what I’m worth.”
“How much is that?
“You ain’t got that much!”
“Can I ask you for the loan of a peavey?”
“You neen to ask, what’s mine is yours!”
Neen is an unusual word. It is a contraction of a contraction! Need not = Needn’t = Neen
Make yourself at home or help yourself is something I say often and mean every word of it.
Having just read a couple of Politifact articles about the economy, I found this phrase very appropo.
Good everyday folk, (yes, that includes a healthy portion of Appalachian folk) should be running the country.
That’s my neighbor’s attitude if I ask him about anything. I asked about using one of his pitchforks and he said just come and get it. But that was after he offered to have his son bring equipment and put the brush from my fallen tree back across the fence off another neighbor. He said his Dad taught him that the way to have good neighbors was to be one. I try to be the same but he’s ahead.
You all ever notice that country polite is to treat the favor one is giving as rather one they are receiving ?
I say and hear this quite often. Many times I hear, “Go ahead and take it and get started and I’ll be over in a few minutes to help you with it.”
It is nice to see such generosity
Yes, it is! I’ve heard that exact expression.