I love Texas folk

I love the people of Texas for so many reasons. But here's my absolute favorite:

They still seem to be surprised that it's hot outside.

Since my arrival here I have never failed to be amazed at how frequently people talk about the temperature. I am still in shock that Texas being hot continues to be a point of discussion for indigenous peoples of the great country of Texas. In the first few days that I was here, I was in the Walmart parking lot and I saw two men who were apparently friends, but the kind of friends that hadn't seen each other in awhile, making their encounter somewhat uncomfortable.

Man #1 says, "Oh, uh hi. How are you?" To which man #2 very naturally responds, "I'm doing well. Thanks."

...awkward pause...

Man #1 says in response, "Sure is hot out here ain't it?"

And there it was my friends. This was what I determined very early on must be the epitome of superficial conversation in Texas. But I stand corrected as I have come to learn that people from Texas quite frequently discuss, whine about, notice and cry over the fact that Texas is in fact hot.

Every native Texan I have met has at some point commented to me that it is particularly toasty on any given day. In fact I don't know that I've gone an entire day without someone mentioning it.

Never once, on the other hand, has it crossed my mind to talk about such a thing. Now everyone knows that I'm not from Texas not only for the fact that I say "begal" rather than "baygel" or because I didn't know to stay off Congress any time before 6:00, but also because I refuse to complain about the heat. In fact my grandmother called me the other day and said, "You haven't said anything about the heat down there," to which I replied, "Well, it's hot." I feel a little like Forrest Gump every time because that's really all I have to say about that. But I suppose that with time, as one beautiful Texan informed me, I too will be noticing the way my body temperature rises to absurd levels every time I step out into the Texas sun. And inevitably, I will feel a need to comment on it to every person I meet. And when I get there, well I suppose then I will have arrived. On that day, I will know that I am a true Texan.