As some of you guys know I travel for a living I'm all over the country every week.
This week I'm in Spokane Washington. Far away from the southern drawl. I expected the folks in puerto rico to notice my accent and the people out in SLC but I didn't get the reactions I have recieved in this state.
Checking into my hotel I walked in the door and the conversation went like this.
Me: Howdy I have a reservation for Mr. Dowmace
oddly nervous clerk: m-m-may I s-s-s-see your ID p-p-please?
ME: sure thing ( I handed him my ID and my AMEX I do this all the time I knew what he needed and was ready)
clerk: You'll be in room 409 is that ok Mr. Dowmace? (almost shaking after seeing my ID)
Me: thats fine with me as long as it's a single king and not double queens.
clerk: no sir it is the king that you had reserved p-p-please have a nice night.
I thought the transaction was odd but figured it was cold and late at night or maybe the guy is a tweaker. I went outside and got all my crap out of the rental car and the clerk was speaking with another traveler, no stutter, and didn't have the nervous shake he did when he spoke with me. I walked through the lobby and happened to notice the clerk looking at me. The second he saw that I had turned my head he looked at his feet like I was a dangerous character.
Next notable situation.
Walking downtown in Spokane and two guys are walking opposite direction of me and as we passed I said "Howdy is it always this cold and snowy here?" Both men suddenly picked up their pace and veered far away from me as if I had told them to f-off. The only response I received was "Yup"
I just meant to be friendly and didn't mean to be a nuisance. I do this wherever I am and I have noticed in Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arizona I was met with friendly replies and never any nervousness. I am dressed the same as I normally am pro-rodeo wranglers, wrangler starched button down shirt and my International Harvester ball cap. I certainly don't think I look intimidating and neither of these situations really seemed to turn this way until I spoke.
Maybe I have really bad breath that only people from Spokane can smell?
This week I'm in Spokane Washington. Far away from the southern drawl. I expected the folks in puerto rico to notice my accent and the people out in SLC but I didn't get the reactions I have recieved in this state.
Checking into my hotel I walked in the door and the conversation went like this.
Me: Howdy I have a reservation for Mr. Dowmace
oddly nervous clerk: m-m-may I s-s-s-see your ID p-p-please?
ME: sure thing ( I handed him my ID and my AMEX I do this all the time I knew what he needed and was ready)
clerk: You'll be in room 409 is that ok Mr. Dowmace? (almost shaking after seeing my ID)
Me: thats fine with me as long as it's a single king and not double queens.
clerk: no sir it is the king that you had reserved p-p-please have a nice night.
I thought the transaction was odd but figured it was cold and late at night or maybe the guy is a tweaker. I went outside and got all my crap out of the rental car and the clerk was speaking with another traveler, no stutter, and didn't have the nervous shake he did when he spoke with me. I walked through the lobby and happened to notice the clerk looking at me. The second he saw that I had turned my head he looked at his feet like I was a dangerous character.
Next notable situation.
Walking downtown in Spokane and two guys are walking opposite direction of me and as we passed I said "Howdy is it always this cold and snowy here?" Both men suddenly picked up their pace and veered far away from me as if I had told them to f-off. The only response I received was "Yup"
I just meant to be friendly and didn't mean to be a nuisance. I do this wherever I am and I have noticed in Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arizona I was met with friendly replies and never any nervousness. I am dressed the same as I normally am pro-rodeo wranglers, wrangler starched button down shirt and my International Harvester ball cap. I certainly don't think I look intimidating and neither of these situations really seemed to turn this way until I spoke.
Maybe I have really bad breath that only people from Spokane can smell?
