A Yankee in Memphis

Greg & the favorite child

So a lot of my blog is about introducing a Southerner to Northern culture. But just as interesting is taking a Yankee and plopping them down in the South, even if just for the weekend. That's exactly what I did with Greg. In July, Greg came down to Memphis, Tennessee for a visit to see my parents and attend the wedding of a dear friend of mine.

We had to pack a lot into 48 hours! From introducing Greg to the family dog (and favorite child) Martin to eating any Southern food we could get our hands on, we were very busy! Since it's a requirement (a state law, I presume) to introduce any new-comer to Memphis barbecue, we first headed to Central BBQ for lunch with my family and our closest family friends. Greg ordered "Ribs for Two" for one. He claims it was an accident, but we were just proud he knew he should try both wet and dry ribs. During lunch Greg tried to convince the group of his southern-ness by stating that a small portion of New Jersey lies below the Mason-Dixon line. The whole table burst out into laughter! Southerners can be quite territorial about what is considered Southern. Some say Virginia isn't really southern. Others claim Texas is really its own thing, rather than a part of the south. Most agree that the vast majority of Florida is not southern, and even that Miami is the southern most city in New Jersey. However, regardless of who you ask, New Jersey is not southern. Good try, Greg!

24 hours in Memphis, and he broke the scale

Following lunch, we spent the afternoon by the pool, which does not seem like a uniquely southern activity, and perhaps it is not. What may make it a Southern thing though, is the heat and humidity involved in a day by the pool in Memphis. It was July, so the temperature inched towards the triple digits and if the humidity was being graded, its score would likely be in the B+ range. Luckily, Greg doesn't mind the heat much and the pool kept us cool enough. 

Later, we headed downtown for the wedding. The wedding was not one of those 16 bridesmaids, giant church, drippingly southern weddings, but it was southern nonetheless. From the southern accent of the officiant to the view of the Mississippi River from the venue, Greg certainly knew he wasn't in New Jersey any more! After the ceremony, I introduced Greg to friends and acquaintances, who already knew a bit about him including his northern roots. After all, word spreads like wild fire in a small town (and with a population of nearly a million people, Memphis has been referred to as the country's biggest small town). Greg was soon inundated with questions: "Is this your first time to the South?" "Do you like Memphis?" "Have you tried barbecue yet?" "Did you like it?" "Are you going to the Bass Pro Shop in the Memphis Pyramid?" and so on and so forth! Greg was a very good sport! He even got bonus points with one friend's father when he was correctly able to identify the material the father was wearing. The material, you ask? Seersucker! 

Greg & Dad having fun!

The southern-ness of the evening continued with the food. For one thing, it was a buffet rather than a seated dinner, which can shock some yankees to their core, but for southerns, a seated dinner just wastes time that could be spent partying at a reception! Besides the different dinner format, the food itself was uniquely southern. Greg was excited to try shrimp and grits at a special food station at the wedding. He loved it, and then proceeded to eat all of my shrimp and grits! We danced the night away and Greg fit right in singing along to Sweet Home Alabama! We ended the night by having a drink on Memphis' famous Beale Street. 

At the end of the trip, when asked if he had a nice visit and if he liked Memphis, he responded, "Yes! Everyone is SO nice here!" Of course everyone is nice here that's why southern and hospitality are two words that always seem to go together. So whether you're a born and bred southern or a yankee just stopping by, you'll fit right in!