Prosperity: The Family Reunion - Part II

As I mentioned in my previous post, my family had a reunion during the July 4th holiday weekend at my aunt and uncle's home in Prosperity, SC.  As I'm unemployed, I felt it couldn't hurt to spend some time in a town called "Prosperity."  It's a quaint little place not far from Columbia, and my aunt and uncle have a house on Lake Murray, which isn't too shabby in itself.  Anyway, back to the reunion story.  Some background on my family:  my grandparents live in West Virginia, and my mother and her 3 siblings were all born and raised there.  My siblings and I were also born in West Virginia, but we lived in Georgia and North Carolina at various times during our childhood.  What this means, is that most of those who attended the family reunion are West Virginia hillbillies, however; most of them do have all of their teeth, or at least a full set of dentures (and no one wore overalls).

Oddly enough, I don't have much family fodder to spout off about.  I know, I know, it is most unusual.  Most of my observations during this trip were outside of my family.  For instance, the hotel we stayed in during the weekend in Prosperity.  I am used to traveling for work (ok, when I was working), in fact, I was a road warrior and 90% of my job involved travel.  I say this because it makes me an expert on business travel, maybe even a bit of a snob, and as I have almost zero patience for just about anything and everything, I tend to be easily annoyed with vacation travelers who don't understand travel etiquette.

For example:  The free continental breakfast in the morning at the hotel doesn't mean that your misbehaved, loud brats can run in and out of the line and between other guests in the line, grabbing bagels with their snotty little fingers while you go back for your 3rd helping of biscuits.  The fitness center is for those of us who exercise routinely and want to keep the momentum going during our vacation.  It isn't for your 10 year old kids (the kids who you let run like wild antelopes in a game preserve throughout the hotel because you don't want to be bothered watching them) who think the exercise bike is a toy.  It's just not.  My brother made the comment, and I think it seems fairly accurate, "It's as if people lose all sense of social etiquette when they check into a hotel."  Ok, for those of you who do watch your kids and don't let them run around like they've been caged in the garage for 6 months, I salute you and I don't mean to lump you in with the above.  Thank you.  I sincerely mean that.

I have to say that the most memorable part of the family reunion trip to Prosperity, SC would be the subtle reminders that we were indeed in the "Bible Belt."  These reminders came in the form of signs posted throughout the area.  Here are my two favorite:        

This was a large sign outside of what appeared to be a thrift or antique store:
                 We are Open
          We take credit cards
          Jesus is Coming!

This one was on a sign outside of a Baptist church:
           Dusty Bible, Dirty Soul

But of course, the coolest thing about Prosperity, SC is that they have a Piggly Wiggly grocery store.  You don't see many of those around anymore, so I bought a Piggly Wiggly T-shirt to remember the trip.  "I'm Big on the Pig!"

 

--Fortuitous Observer

A Shameless Plug:  Pat's band, Polynya, just released their new CD, Crop Rotation.  Listen to the "People In Pictures" track!

Comments

[Tammy Lowers]

Laughing my butt off this morning while reading this! Too funny! You should have named this one: Snotty fingers and Dirty Souls!!!
Seriously, I loved this one. It reminded me on being in a restaurant one evening and these two kids were just running loose while mom and grandma were ignoring them in favor of their margaritas. They kept it up until finally I called them over to my table and I told them," Go tell your mom I said hi, and she wants you to sit down and be quiet so I can eat in peace." So the kids go over (they were like 6-7) and tell their mom this and the mom just shoots me a dirty look and I just raised my beer to toast her. hahahaha Their loud little asses stayed in their seats after that though!! hahahah

[Fortuitous Observer]

BWAAAAA! You are awesome Tammy Lowers! My hero!