[Icelander]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Not actually true... but close enough. A lot of natives have the "no accent" of the "Midwest News Anchor" from being raised around tons of transplants and tourists. Those that do have a 'southern' accent cultivated it specifically to come across as "rednecks". There are also a lot of native Hispanics with a mild to strong accent (whether Mexican or Cuban). And tons of immigrants all with their own accents.

I know plenty of people in Orlando* (and a few from Miami) who were born and raised in Florida.

I was using exaggeration for effect. :-)

Originally Posted by Rathbone

Most of the women I knew had a middle name. But it easily could go either way. All the names you listed would be pretty common. Anne is another name I saw used with Betty.

Kinsella would be acceptable but it would be extremely rare. It is a name that I have never heard until now. But given it’s origins that I just looked at it would fit, but it would be noticed as being a bit out of the usual.

'Betty Lu' she is, short for Betty Luella. I'll avoid Kinsella, then. I just want a common name that sounds good, one that suggests Alabama more than just any place in the US with some Scots-Irish, one which could suit a few colourful relatives and one that has connotations of rural poor-but-proud whites in Alabama.

Can you suggest a few surnames for his mother's kinfolk?

Originally Posted by Rathbone

The ‘local’ big city would be Montgomery (State Capital and 3rd largest city in state). It is 50 miles away with a travel time of around 60 minutes – give or take. Troy (@18,000 population) is about 20 miles away and is home of Troy State University (became Troy University in 2005).

Thanks. What about a weekend trip in the summer? What are likely destinations? Gulf Shores, Mobile or somewhere further afield?

Originally Posted by Rathbone

I’d say Cory Earl Taylor would most likely be a “fan” of College Football. It boils down to the excuse you mention. It gives him far too many opportunities to start/provoke trouble. Since he was a high school jock it also lets him brag about what he could have done in Football if it was not for those ‘fancy’ College People.

I’d favor the father being a die-hard fan of Auburn. That would definitely ratchet up the home conflict.

Cory Earl Taylor went away permanently in 1993, when he finally killed someone. Died in prison in 1999. Chase never got to confront his father as an adult. Which might be why he takes every bully he meets so personally.

I was just thinking about the background for Chase's love-affair with the Crimson Tide. If there were any stories in his life connected with legendary Iron Bowl moments.

Originally Posted by Rathbone

The Trojans are not that followed even now, but in the 1980s and 1990s they were a 2nd Tier Football program. They did not move to Division I until 2005 and even then the big two far overshadow them. Even if someone is a fan of the Trojans they may still be a big fan of Alabama or Auburn.

Fair enough. So for someone to join the Army instead of trying to play for Troy or some other, less prestigious college, when he's told he's not big or fast enough for the Crimson Tide after the first few months of the season suggests a bit of teenaged petulance?

Originally Posted by Rathbone

Sanwiches – Humm --- Bologna, Ham – each could have cheese added, BaconLettuceTomato (BLT), and Peanut Butter and Jelly.

Any special condiment or method of preparation that will distinguish an ordinary sandwich anyone could have made from a Southern one with Alabama flavour?

Originally Posted by Rathbone

Luverne is in Peanut country so he would have seen Boiled Peanuts and Parched Peanuts and might have developed a taste for boiled. On Labor Day one of the Local Groups (JayCees?) sells bags of Boiled peanuts in Downtown Luverne to Raise Money. I bought some one year when I passed through Luverne headin back to Texas. In my day Boiled and Parched Peanuts were sold by the FFA in the Stands at High School football games. Not sure if that was still being done in the 90s. .

I see Luverne has an annual peanut boiling festival. Obviously.

Well, that sounds like a suitably odd culinary quirk for him. Can someone even get boiled peanuts in New England or anywhere else in America than the South?

Originally Posted by Rathbone

And you are correct; swearing is not that common in that area. I still don’t swear much. Don’t really remember what I substituted. Frak, I might use nowadays. Then if I slipped a Da** or Sh** might slip out.

Does anyone actually use 'gosh' or 'darn'?