Hollar? No, Hauler!

I apologize fair readers for neglecting my blog for so long, but I come to you today with a heavy heart and sad news.

Living in Savannah is causing me to lose my southernness - well, my ability to understand Southern speak anyway... let's not get carried away here.

Allow me to offer you an example. I felt like a Northerner - no offense to any Northern readers - because on my most recent trip home, my own sister had to explain herself.

My Sister: "We had a great time at the [NASCAR] race last weekend."
Me: "Oh yeah? That's great!"
Sister: "On the way out we saw all the haulers!"
Me: "I didn't know Charlotte [North Carolina] had hollars?"
Sister: "No, not hollars as in hollows or places to live, but haulers as in the trucks that carry the race cars from race to race."
Me: "Oh. So there was a 'u' in that word?"
Sister: "I guess. You know I'm a bad speller."

Kasey Kahne's Hauler.

Loretta Lynn's Holler (It's usually spelled with an 'e' in areas such as Kentucky).

You see? I've lost it. At any other time in my life that conversation would have gone very differently.

I've lost the ability to interpret mispronounced/dropped vowels. That's essentially the basis for all Southern language.

What will become of me?

On this saddest of days, the only heart that needs blessing is my own. So bless my heart, I sure hope I can regain my Southern translation abilities or I will surely perish.