Do You Make House Calls?

Dear John,

 

Recovery from the biopsy has taken longer than expected. I ended up missing work today, which I especially hate on a Friday, but the people at work were very nice and supportive about it. Tomorrow I only work four hours, so I should be okay for that. I haven't gotten very much knitting done because I can't stay awake.

 

I need you to make a house call. You need to come and explain some things to me. I'm not understanding the non-Southern mindset. As this Confederate flag controversy continues, people are expanding the list of Southern things they don't like. We're beginning to feel a bit beleaguered. I even had a Facebook friend tell me that it wasn't possible to like the flag and not be racist. Of course, she's never been further south than Indianapolis. But she believe she understands the South better than I do. It's okay for people to mock and belittle me for the way I talk, but not okay for me to  want to honor my land, people, and heritage.

 

I'm confused. You came to understand me very well, in spite of the fact that you grew up in Ohio. You were North/South culturally bilingual. So I need you to come and help me understand all this. And please tell me what constructive action I can take. I want to be authentically who I am without being inflammatory, especially on Facebook. Bless this town, it takes me as I am and never pokes fun at me. I feel less like an expatriate here than anywhere else I've lived in the Midwest. Maybe it's because the town is small enough that everybody knows everybody else. Maybe we're just too well-mannered here to poke fun at each other.

 

So come any time you can and stay as long as you like. This is the kind of thing you could always help me understand, and I really miss having you to answer my questions. This, like everything else, would be easier with you here. But a house call will do!

 

Watching for you,

Joan.