An Accurate Typecast 1/30/2022

By: Jennifer Richardson Holt

Sometimes the stereotypes are accurate.  Before you think I am telling anyone to embrace negative stereotypes let me clarify.  The pattern to which I am referencing is altogether positive I would say.  Several things as of late have brought the idea to mind so I just took that as a sign, and I bring it here to you today. I am thinking of hospitality.  Whether or not you are fortunate enough to be from the American South you have likely heard the tales of our ever-present state of welcome. I feel rather certain have traveled the world over.  I am sure some who have not experienced it may think it is a bit of a myth or at the very least an exaggeration.  Today I am here to assure you that it is in fact the exact opposite of a myth. Southern hospitality is so downright likely to happen it can be described as an excessively true attribute given to my people. Now of course, I am most assuredly not trying to say that we southerners have the monopoly on hospitality.  In fact, I happen to know some people who don’t live on this continent, much less in the south who have shown me nothing but welcome and affection and I have never even met them!  So, I am well aware that it is a trait found in many places and populations.  But in these parts, hospitality is more the rule than the exception and as I find this to be the case it is a point of particular pleasure.

I am going to start somewhere you probably weren’t likely to expect.  We have put a deer feeder near the wood line at the back of our house. Yes, that’s right, we have spread a table for the local fauna.  While many do this for hunting purposes, we are doing it solely for our own enjoyment of watching our wildlife make regular visits. I certainly do not fault anyone who does do it for hunting.  You have enough of those furry missiles fling their hundred pound plus body at your moving vehicle and you are more than happy to see the woods full of hunters.  Our feeder however is so that we can simply look from the comfort of our living room to watch all manner of creature enjoy a regularly timed treat of corn.  As I look out right now as I type, there is a petite doe having a nibble.  Usually if one stays long enough, a few associates will casually mosey from the forest to join them. The whole household has reveled in observing the backyard banquet.  Even the cat has enjoyed watching and plotting. Whether it be a crow, squirrel, doe or even a young buck, you can watch the wheels turning in his furry feline head.  It is just as pleasurable to watch him scheme.  It is clear by his crouching and intense staring that he has not the slightest doubt in his mind that he could take out any one of those beasts. I am not so certain that he could quite accomplish all his goals, but I have no doubt that if given the opportunity he would make our arrangement far less hospitable so, inside he shall stay.

My family it seems is even searching for new ways to flex our hospitality muscles. We are and have always been, true to our nature, lovers of hosting. We are feeders like most quality southerners are and we will look for any excuse, again like most good southerners, to find a reason to gather and feed.  As is tradition, of course football season presented us with opportunities every weekend in the fall to have people at our home to watch our game of choice along with any other game that caught our eye. Well football has come and gone so now, while we don’t technically NEED a reason to play host, we have decided to embrace basketball.  True, our team of choice is currently doing exceptionally well and that certainly does help lend to the atmosphere of a get together but this is a new venture for us.  I somewhat feel like we have missed opportunities in the past. How dare we have let a chance to bring our favorite people to our homes and send them away with smiles and full bellies!  I guess we will have to see if the interest in basketball is as much as it is football. It doesn’t truly matter though. If we get a chance to have just a few friends and cook some delicious food, then we’ll take it however we can get it.  We absolutely live for that moment when we lay out our spread of all manner of deliciousness.  To see the faces upon people when they see and then take that first bite is one of the things we love most.  And I cannot tell you how much we live for the expressions of our guests as they announce they are full to the point of bursting, and we whip out the to-go plates.  They are never ready for the to-go plates.  And Lord help them if they let us prepare them for them.  We are the type if you ask for just a little bit of something we will err on the side of a few pounds of it just to be safe.

So there we have it.  I have rambled on telling you my adventures in practicing the art of hospitality in ways that are a bit off the beaten path.  And if I am honest, I am excited to continue looking for new ways to spread friendliness and cheer.  Yes, our version very often is food based but I don’t see that as a problem.  What is the harm in wanting to be around good company and then to spoil them absolutely rotten with the best food you can muster?  Apparently, it isn’t just me. We just got an invitation in the mail to a huge BBQ and stew cooking that is billed as “the ultimate southern cultural experience.”  Look at me clinging to the stereotype.  This is one I’ll gladly embrace.