That Was No Threat!!

One thing we battle against while we live in Asia is people's perceptions of Americans.  A great deal of that is rolled up in culture.  Someone here might say, "I don't like Americans because they are rude."  I say, "Rude?  Have you been to America?"  "Yes," they respond "I went to New York."

"Well now hold on," I generally say, "New York?  I don't like them either.  They are rude."  Then I try to explain about the cultural differences between northerners and southerners.  One being direct (which is seen as rude but isn't necessarily and I am joking when I tell them people from the North are rude) other people are more indirect.  Now indirect people can be more difficult since they will often just flat-out lie in the name of being nice to you.  They will say with a smile, "Your new haircut looks great!!" Even when they think the opposite.

Well all of that to say as we watched the episode of American Idol taped in Louisville I was left a tad confused.  The first 30 minutes they promoted the goober who "threatens" the judges.  Only to find out the defeated dude doesn't say anything except, "Goodbye."

Technically he said, "Be careful."  In KY (maybe the whole South) that means "goodbye."  Only a Yankee or a bunch of Left Coasters could think that was a threat.  Here is an impromptu list of other ways to say goodbye in the Bluegrass and how they could be mistaken by people from the North or West.

• Ya'll Go With Us ---  What is that supposed to mean?  Am I under arrest???
• Well, I better get --- You better get what???  A gun???
• Ya'll take care --- Take care to do what?  Lock my house??
  

Also, I think most of those really weird people were from Ohio and not KY.  Don't get me wrong there were plenty of Kentuckians to be ashamed of but they weren't threatening anyone.

Got any other ideas?  Post 'em for me!!