Social Experiment

I am not from the South.

However, I currently live in the South.  To be more specific, the Deep South.

Because I'm not from here, I like to conduct random social experiments.  I do it partially because I like to be reminded of how different life is where I'm from.  And because it's just hilarious at times to see the major differences between life down South versus life above the Mason-Dixon line.

For the past few years, I've been conducting an ongoing (personal) social experiment.

People in the South love giving out compliments.  I'm convinced they love giving them out just slightly more than they love receiving them.

Complimenting a Southerner is one thing.  Complimenting a Southerner's child - that takes it to a whole new level!

People in the North will usually sometimes accept you complimenting them.  If you compliment them on their child, look out! It's likely the last you'll see of that person is them running as fast as they can away from you.

Don't believe me?  Here's a story --

I was up North visiting my family.  Saw this super absolutely adorable child being pushed in a stroller by his mother.  I quickly got my mother's attention so she could oogle over this absolutely adorable child with me.  What did the absolutely adorable child's mother do as soon as she noticed us?  She quickly turned her stroller in the opposite direction and did her best to avoid us.

I was down here in the Deep South.  Went out to a social event.  A mother walked in with her precious newborn still fresh with new baby smell.  I commented on how precious and sweet and tiny and adorable her little one was.  Then I asked how old.  To my shock, she told me!  And, because that wasn't enough, she stood there for a few more minutes letting me oogle over her precious little one.  I saw her a few months later at another social event.  Mind you, I didn't even know this woman's name.  Turns out she was a friend of a friend.  When my friend went to introduce us, the woman said, "I know you!! We met a few months ago!  You commented on how new my baby was and how absolutely adorable he is!"  Not kidding.

Another example.  Went to the gym.  My gym has a little daycare center for moms to drop their kids off at while they work out.  As I was leaving, a woman was standing at the front desk with her two precious strawberry blonde headed children.  I mean, I'll be honest and tell you that redheads are my weakness (seriously, like every guy I've ever dated had red in his hair).  But those kids, oh my!!  I'd of course seen this woman at the gym a few times, but we'd never talked more than a passing hello.  Well, upon seeing her incredibly precious strawberry blonde headed children, I went into full Southern complimenting mode.

I mean, I was really going crazy over the preciousness of these children.  (Remember, redheads are my weakness!)  If this whole event happened up North, I can assure you that woman would have been running to a courthouse to take out a restraining order against me.  But, down here in the Deep South?  Totally different story!!

This woman enthusiastically thanked me for my "sweet compliments."  And then she proceeded to talk to me about her life and ask me questions about mine.  Basically, we became instant BFFs.

Moral of the story (aka social experiment) --

Enthusiastically compliment a random stranger up North, they will run in the opposite direction.   If your compliment is incredibly enthusiastic (as mine often tend to be), they'll likely get a restraining order against you.  Just kidding (not really).

Enthusiastically compliment a random stranger down South, be prepared to chat it up with them for the next 5 minutes.  If your compliment is incredibly enthusiastic (see above), you'll likely become instant BFFs.  Seriously.  Not kidding.