You’re not from around here
I’ve never lived in a place where I am so often reminded that “I’m not from around here.” Bostonians, New Englanders in general, seem to take great pride in being from here and if you’re not from here you just don’t get it. Doesn’t matter if you’ve been here for years and years - you’re still “new.”
I’d say there’s a tiny bit of that mentality in Chicago, although I only heard talk like that a handful of times. It didn’t matter if you were born there, we were all Chicagoans and we loved the city. I think one of those “you’re one of us, now” experiences is when your car is towed by Lincoln Towing. You are going to get towed at some point. Trust me; it’s only a matter of time.
You’re going to go down to the impound yard early in the morning and you’ll see the saddest show of humanity waiting around to break their cars out of jail. And you’ll meet someone without a soul, staring at you through triple-pane bullet-proof glass. If ever a place needed bullet-proof glass it’s Lincoln Towing. They are loathed by the citizens.
So what is the defining event in Boston or New England? Is there one? I’ll never be local, I’m okay with that. I just get a little tired of hearing how I don’t get it.
I’d say there’s a tiny bit of that mentality in Chicago, although I only heard talk like that a handful of times. It didn’t matter if you were born there, we were all Chicagoans and we loved the city. I think one of those “you’re one of us, now” experiences is when your car is towed by Lincoln Towing. You are going to get towed at some point. Trust me; it’s only a matter of time.
You’re going to go down to the impound yard early in the morning and you’ll see the saddest show of humanity waiting around to break their cars out of jail. And you’ll meet someone without a soul, staring at you through triple-pane bullet-proof glass. If ever a place needed bullet-proof glass it’s Lincoln Towing. They are loathed by the citizens.
So what is the defining event in Boston or New England? Is there one? I’ll never be local, I’m okay with that. I just get a little tired of hearing how I don’t get it.
Labels: 2006, Boston, weird stuff
7 Comments:
god. yes. my partner is from Boston, his family is still there (i have a rather humorous post back in the July archive about his mom and Harvard) i love it there, but it's certainly got it's own little topography/cultural recognition/goddamn sox sort of thing going on.
I have no clue. I'm not from around here either.
Heh. Nor can I speak for Boston...but there is a litmus test for Seattle natives, namely whether you swam in Greenlake as a child. Visually pretty, the lake is in fact a fetid soup of goose doo, milfoil and lily pads...but the kids love it. You're encouraged to shower thoroughly after swimming there, lest you get the "Greenlake Itch" (having had which is a subset of native identification).
Lyss, just remember- everyone came to Boston via some other place at some point. There are few, if any true "natives" anymore.
Oh, and Vermonters are like that, too. I am very proud to say I am not now, nor was ever from Vermont.
I completely agree about it being a real insider town. The roads aren't designed for newcomers, and people are VERY into their own little corner of Boston. While many individuals are friendly, I don't feel that Boston is collectively geared towards those from outside.
It is an insider town. It's all Sox and beer and locals. What can I say?
The litmus test for a native Bostonian? Ask someone for directions.
(1)If they tell you that its "about 20 minutes from heeah", you're getting warmer...
(2) If they then proceed to tell you to "bang a left" at a landmark such as Dunkin Donuts and give no street names, you're getting closer...
(3) If the guy behind you starts beeping his horn madly, flipping you off and mouthing profanities, then DING! DING! turn around - you've found one of us!!
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