Part 2: The South Continued

The second half of my trip was all about NASCAR.  Despite the fact that I am the most inappropriate person to go interview people about cars, I got really really excited when I stepped into the studios.

Unlike many of the people working on the set of our pilot shoot, these people were on top of their game.  6 editing suites, 4 sound studios, and a surprising number of normal, beautiful, intelligent women making things happen—who knew?  I’ll admit it, I thought I’d be dealing with a bunch of redneck hicks who spoke in car lingo, but I was totally surprised.  This studio rivaled any I’ve seen in LA or New York AND the people were NICE.  Actually, people were nice everywhere you went!  Imagine that?

So I started to analyze =the difference between a New York attitude and Southern hospitality.  New Yorkers are generally considered to be “mean” and “unfriendly” which I didn’t really understand until now.  New Yorkers aren’t actually mean and unfriendly, we’re simply more efficient.  If someone asks us for directions, we will respond very directly, “go 3 blocks that way, then make a left and the building will be on your right,” and then continue on our way.  No thanks needed.

In the South, when you ask someone for directions it turns into a conversation that somehow will involve anyone within a 500 foot radius.

For example, at the airport I spotted a Delta employee and went up to him and said, “Excuse me, can you tell me where the cabs are, and do you know if they take credit cards?”  Simple request, right?  Wrong. 

Suddenly, I’m surrounded by 5 very bored Delta terminal employees who have 5 very different answers.  Finally, one of the Delta employees asked me where I was headed, so I told him the name of my hotel and he actually said, “Girl, I’m headed that way, I’ll just drop you off.”  I’m not quite sure what my face looked like at this point, but I know I had to pick my jaw up off the floor so I could respond with, “But…but I don’t know you?”  Then I felt a hand on my shoulder--I turned and looked up into a very large black woman’s very pretty face.  She gave me a very comforting smile and said, “Honey, I know him, and he’s just fine!  Why waste your money, he’ll give you a ride.” 

Really?  Was I really expected to get into a car with a strange man from the Charlotte, North Carolina airport?  And what’s with all the touching?

So I said, “Oh, thank you so much, but my company pays for it anyway, but thank you.”

Finally, I managed to get away from them, went straight to the cab station, and got right into a strange man’s car and paid him $50 to take me to my hotel.