Charleston - The Most Mannerly City?

"It is the manners and spirit of a people which preserve a republic in vigor.” -- Thomas Jefferson

Had a nice thing happen this week while driving a carriage. I was assigned to the private carriage one day (the four-seater as opposed to the 16-seater). My customers were a couple from Tallahassee who had a Spanish exchange student living with them during the summer.

While we were driving along in SOB territory (South of Broad Street) we came upon a lemonade stand operated by two little girls - ages 3-6. My customers wanted to buy some lemonade from the girls so I pulled into a parking spot under a shade tree. I am a supporter of the free enterprise system even in its most rudimentary stages - three cups of lemonade for $3. I hope the city doesn't charge the girls the half cents sales tax to help pay for those empty CARTA buses I always see driving downtown in the evening.

While the girls were preparing the lemonade the grandparents came outside and we began to chat. By the way, the grandfather was smoking a cigar!! I hope the city doesn't try to arrest him. He was smoking on the sidewallk, next to a lemonade stand! If city council passes the smoking ban in bars and restaurants would this constitute a violation? I hope the city wouldn't try to close the lemonade stand down because of their grandfather's insensitivity! Maybe Will Moredock of The Charleston City Paper can write a column condemning the grandfather for endangering the lives of his grandduaghters.

While we were chatting and the girls were delivering the lemonade to the carriage, the grandmother brought carrots out to feed the horse. And the evil, cigar-smoking grandfather asked, "How would you guys like to see the inside of a Charleston house?"

I asked him, "Where are you from? You're obviously not from Charleston."
He asked, "Why do you think that?"
I replied, "Very few people born in Charleston who grew up south of Broad would offer a tourist a free tour of their house."

Turns out I was right. They were not true locals; they were transplants. And some of the nicest, most gracious people I have met in a long time.

graciousness.
adj. 1. Characterized by kindness and warm courtesy. 2. Characterized by tact and propriety: responded to an insult with gracious humor.3. Of a merciful or compassionate nature.
Synonyms: gracious, cordial, genial, sociable

Charleston has been voted America's Most Mannerly City for about 300 years. Notice we don't get voted American's Most Friendly City. There is a big difference between "mannerly" and "friendly". Charlestonians are usually unfailing mannerly. We are nice to people to their face. We are polite and helpful, but once they are gone . . .

Over the last two weeks I have heard reports that some locals became upset by some of the things I mentioned in a previous blog. I had written about the rudeness and lack of grace by some locals who interupt tour guides conducting their business - giving tours. It somehow got into two local publications and some people took offense. However, I am assuming most locals weren't THAT upset since only one of them contacted me personally. And he made a nice point. He stated:

"You've chosen as your 'office' a public space, so dealing with everyone else who by right has access to that same space comes with your choice of vocation. The passer-by has exactly as much right to free speech at that exact same point of real estate as do you."

He is right, but my issue was never free speech. I am a proponent of free speech in ALL forms, including flag burning and smoking in public, not just the speech I agree with. My issue was with the rudeness of some locals. It was nice this week to come into contact with some who were beyond nice, the epitome of grace . . . even if they weren't TRUE Charlestonians.

“The only gracious way to accept an insult is to ignore it; if you can’t ignore it, top it; if you can’t top it, laugh at it; if you can’t laugh at it, it’s probably deserved.” -- Russell Lynes (b. 1910), U.S. editor, critic.