I Love the Charlotte Natives

If there's one thing aside from terrific weather and a cheaper cost of living that is great about Charlotte, it's the lovely natives. These days, there seems to be few of 'em around since us transplants seem to have overrun the place. But you can't help but recognize a native when you see one. For one, they are super friendly. I'm always mesmerized by the fact that transplants say that the natives have been standoffish to them. I've yet to see an example of it in my 3 1/2 years here. If you don't act like a transplant ass, then the Charlotteans will assuredly be as sweet as tea to you.

Now, I don't blame some native locals for being a bit exasperated at us coming here and taking over their towns. 10 years ago, Ballantyne was nothing more than farm land, now it's a mini city in itself. I'm sure the natives get a tad restless over the changing landscape. Heck, I've been here a short while, and it irks me when I see a beautiful farm being bulldozed by a builder to make room for more new transplant homes.

I can only imagine what a Charlottean is thinking when they encounter a New Yorker pressing the horn at a red light to get everyone else going. In case you haven't noticed, people don't honk their horns here. It took me a while to get past this habit, but I know I'm a calmer and better person for it. I have only the natives to thank for this improvement in my personality. I've slowed down on the road quite a bit, actually. I am pretty conscious about driving in a safer and and more respectable manner. I'm sure that cop that nailed me on Ardrey Kell Road last year had something to do with it as well, but I consider it yet another native encounter that set me straight.

The native children are an absolute dream. They are well-behaved, and are taught to use their yes ma'am's and no sir's with enthusiasm. I think it's so great that I even encourage my older son to get with the program. I'm not saying every kid is perfect around here, but they're way more civilized then where I came from. Heck, they're more civilized than I was as a kid! My painter Wendell, a native, is at least 10 years older than me and always calls me "Miss Lisa." The man was clearly brought up right and with manners. I had a great treat when my 4-year old gently pulled on a man's sleeve and said "...excuse me, sir..." Now, that's my little southern gentleman in the making!

Walking into any store will earn you a broad smile and big hello from natives. Geez, these people really are unbelievably pleasant. In New Jersey you make every effort to stare at the ground if another pair of eyes comes in contact with your face. Here, I've become a welcome machine. If there's someone looking at me, I'm waving, saying hello and asking them how their day is. I'm engaged in all sorts of chit-chat with the woman at the supermarket register, and ask my mail carrier how her back feels when she hauls herself out of her car. My mother, a staunch New Yorker, is continually horrified by the niceness. "Don't you find that annoying?" she asks me. Truthfully, I probably did before I got to Charlotte. Now, I'm a niceness convert. I mean, it really isn't that hard to be friendly--even for a New Yorker like me. I encourage you to give it a shot.

Finally, it's pretty important not to push your where-I-came-from ideas around. The natives don't really care how you did things where you came from. It doesn't matter to them that you're having a hard time finding fresh mozzarella. They don't give a hoot that NY Yankee games are blocked out when the Baltimore Orioles are playing. They also don't like the fact that you brought your northern road rage with you and are driving right up their bumper. If you miss things so much, or think they were done better from wherever you came from--then perhaps you should not have come here at all. Just do us all a favor and stay right where you are.

Maybe after I'm here 20 years I'll be considered a legitimate Charlottean by the natives. I've embraced the okra, the BBQ pork, and no longer curse like a sailor during NY Fleet Week (okay, okay, I've cut back...a lot!). I absolutely adore country music an rotate between WSOC and The KAT stations every time I get into the car. Shoot, I even watched the Dale (Earnhardt) biography on CMT two weeks back. I confess I haven't mastered a taste for sweet tea, which is a bitter disappointment to me in my quest to be a southerner. I just can't stand the stuff, but I compensate by slugging gallons of lemonade. I hope that makes up for it, or at least scores me southern points. I even selected the photo of the state of NC to be emblazoned on my Carolina driver's license (yes, people, I finally sucked it up and took the written test and passed!).

I don't regret for a minute having come to Charlotte, and I am working really hard to be like a native. Our 17 month old was born at CMC in uptown, so I have at least given birth to a native. I'm doing all I can to increase their numbers. If you're coming from somewhere else and have decided to call Charlotte home, do everything you can to mirror the natives. I can honestly say they will make you a better person and will help you slow down just a tad.

I may have been born in New York City, but I'm a southerner now.