Who needs soap operas when we’ve got small towns?

[JohnH]

Here are some real life examples from an Appalachian town of how people talk about each other. I selected for some of the more "negative" posts I could find (most of the activity is positive in nature).

Middlefield Ohio
has a Bigfoot festival. where our Bigfoot festival?

For those who don’t know what Bower RD looks like here’s a good idea. Been like this the past 15 years and west township just throws sum patches here and there and calls is a day. Hey but at least my tax dollars can get them the pot hole mix.

Blue Camaro <lic. plate removed> absolute ---- and your car sounds like ----. Rode a motorcycles --- all the way from Minerva to Kensington while he’s going FIVE over. Had many opportunities to pass and chose not to. Dumb---.

<Town name> talk is the right name for this, that's all this town does is talk ----, calls cops on some dumb ---- and and can't mind their own business.. now let the negativity begin... And go!!

Count your days Taco Bell… cold food that looks like a 4 year old put it together

Anyone know when internets coming back up

To the lady in front of me at McDonald's that was apparently having a bad day...we all have bad days, it does not give you the right to be belligerent with workers especially after they do everything they can to appease you! I watched a woman have a complete meltdown over being charged for a cup of ice (50 cents) the worker calmly explained it was new policy and refunded her after her ranting about never being charged and explained policy....this wasn't good enough for Karen as she continued on about calling corporate...mind you she ordered a large drink with no ice and then a separate cup of ice to get more drink. The worker told her how to contact them and stated that she refunded her and she got everything, Karen just kept on as the line behind her grew "but I was charged I don't care that I got a refund" The worker explained that the person taking the orders was new and following policy. Props to the ladies at the window for being so kind in such a ridiculous situation! I would have probably thrown her ice at her See less

[Soloist]

Apparently, the people have names like "The Bully" and "The Pot Stirrer", and it's sure good that they have JohnL to tell them what is right, if only they would listen to him.

It's very, very interesting, since as someone presently living in Appalachia, and who spent lots of time around his very Appalachian grandparents who also lived there, I never saw any of this. Nobody had nicknames that were derogatory like that, although there were quite a few inexplicable nicknames like "Bo" and "Turtle".

I think there's a reason for that. Where I grew up, there were basically three families who could walk to each other's houses, and each family had a bunch of children and one car. In a small town, you know everyone, they are your social circle, you have to get along with them. Where I come from, at least, people would have pushed back if I tried to give people nicknames like this. I would never have written about them on some online forum with derogatory nicknames like this for humorous effect.

Wife: one of my friends has a neighbor that goes by Cowboy. Friendly older man who shares his fruit. Also one goes by his title (for example, the Sheriff). We have one that everybody calls Mizz ‘Beatrice’ (some names changed for privacy). It’s kind of funny reading nicknames on caroling list. None offensive, just descriptive of their house or pets.

I personally saw some of these stories as allegory, but who knows. Even the hicks in the sticks have Netflix now.

[ohio jones]

While the OP has in the past shown that he’s a bit forgetful (Such as starting multiple threads with similar content only a few months apart) he’s talked quite a bit about smoking.

That does seem to be a plausible explanation for the cited behavior, depending on what is being smoked.

[JohnL]

Well, since I do like a good mystery, let me pile on.

I don’t really have a reason to doubt this article as truth.
While the OP has in the past shown that he’s a bit forgetful (Such as starting multiple threads with similar content only a few months apart) he’s talked quite a bit about smoking.
If someone is spinning tales, it’s really hard to keep things straight especially if you’re older and forgetful to begin with.
Even tho I believe he feigns ignorance in regards to MaxPC, I don’t think that his posts are primarily fiction. IMO he’s interested in conversation but not interested in exposing the link between himself and MaxPC. Perhaps because Max wanted it that way.

Hi sojourner (sorry don't know you're real name). Piling on. Is that a Mennonite thing?
Yep I forget I already started a thread on a topic once. Maybe twice. But that's because posts and topics whizz by so fast on this forum it's sometimes hard for me to keep up. Then there's those who deliberately sidetrack a thread. Whatever.
Nope, don't know Max at all. Don't know why that fiction persists. Maybe it's a part of that Mennonite game. Again Whatever.
If you have any questions about smoking meats or cheeses I can chip in on that.
Have a gooder.

[JohnL]

The Bully's name is Mike. I'll call him Mike from now on. He came by this afternoon to pick up the apple chips I promised him. He stayed and talked and talked for about 2 hours. I'd never had a chance to talk to him much at all before this so I just listened and shared with him how to get that smoke tube working. I'm thinking his rough upbringing might be part of his reactions to the pot stirrer and others who like to stir up trouble and gossip. God has a funny way of bringing folks across my path. I don't know if he'll become a long term friend or if this is just a one time meeting. God knows and God will let me know. I'm just along for the ride.

I found a good booklet for some Bible study this summer. I don't know if I've mentioned it before but it's one from the Pilgrim Ministry website. It's called the Bewares of the Bible.
Here's a link where you can read about its summary download the pdf of it.
https://www.pilgrimministry.org/booklet ... -the-bible

[justme]

Who needs soap operas when we've got mennonet?



as far as referencing to someone by a description than by their name?

years ago, my neighbor girl was a very active part of my life. she was 7 when i first met her, when i moved into my house. i would post on fb things that we did. i did not want to use her name, so she was the shadow. then the daughter of my neighbor was renting a house in the neighborhood, and her little girl also became part of our group. so now i had the shadow and the little one. and i'd post things like, the shadow and i baked pies today. or the shadow and the little one and i followed the creek and walked out to town, played in the playground by the library. the first time the shadow's dad allowed her to ride w me, was to go out to the sub n malt for ice cream. i realized later that evening, that i had recreated a childhood memory.

If you were part of my life and the shadow's life, and the little one's life, then you knew who i was talking about. but it felt safer to not name names online.

the shadow is no longer my shadow, she is now her name w her own baby and hubby, but i do treasure those years.

[temporal1]

Who needs soap operas when we've got mennonet?

as far as referencing to someone by a description than by their name?

years ago, my neighbor girl was a very active part of my life. she was 7 when i first met her, when i moved into my house. i would post on fb things that we did. i did not want to use her name, so she was the shadow. then the daughter of my neighbor was renting a house in the neighborhood, and her little girl also became part of our group. so now i had the shadow and the little one. and i'd post things like, the shadow and i baked pies today. or the shadow and the little one and i followed the creek and walked out to town, played in the playground by the library. the first time the shadow's dad allowed her to ride w me, was to go out to the sub n malt for ice cream. i realized later that evening, that i had recreated a childhood memory.

If you were part of my life and the shadow's life, and the little one's life, then you knew who i was talking about. but it felt safer to not name names online.

the shadow is no longer my shadow, she is now her name w her own baby and hubby, but i do treasure those years.

The best.
i hope this is a common experience everywhere for children and dear neighbors.
i have similar memories from my childhood, also my children had good neighborhood experiences.

i looked forward to having more memories on this side of life, i find, maybe due to AC and technology, young children aren’t outside as before. In good weather, i see them whizzing by on golf carts. Some very young drivers loaded with young passengers. i pray for no accidents. It’s a drive for ambulances.

[JohnL]

I personally saw some of these stories as allegory, but who knows. Even the hicks in the sticks have Netflix now.

Hicks in the sticks have Netflix. Goes with another favorite saying we hear a lot. High tech redneck.
You’re close to it. Allegory is pretty much our culture’s way of teaching the younger generation on how to act and things to do. It’s based on real behaviors we see around town. We usually don’t attach the real names in a small town because it doesn’t leave much room for someone to recognize their own self and change and do better. Our parents and grandparents and greats did it this way. It works in our circles.

Who needs soap operas when we've got mennonet?

I hear ya. Still got a lot of good Bible input info here.

If you were part of my life and the shadow's life, and the little one's life, then you knew who i was talking about. but it felt safer to not name names online.

the shadow is no longer my shadow, she is now her name w her own baby and hubby, but i do treasure those years.

I’m thinking about how true that is on how social media does have those same small town characteristics. It’s safer to be scarce on names so’s a person can have growing room.

[JohnH]

It would be appalling if you gossiped about people with their real names here in the manner you do, but if you’re using commonly used nicknames that’s almost the same thing.

We have a few people here on this forum who are primarily known by their nickname (despite not living in a holler), as one would know if they poked around.

[Grace]

LOL..."Hicks from the sticks have Netflix". That is a good one, thanks for the chuckle this morning.