Scenes From My Life

The southern accent. It is one of the most recognizable of the various American “dialects.” Like many of these speech styles, there are various types of southern accents. Having spent my formative years in the south, I had grown quite accustomed to hearing the southern accent in its many forms. But, I did not feel that I spoke with any discernible inflection. Over the years, though, an accent would occasionally become noticeable, especially when traveling outside of the south. Something I said or, rather, the way I said it, would cause others to react. Even the most harmless of comments would elicit curious looks from those around me. It was as if they could tell something about my speech was different, but could not pinpoint exactly what it was. Though it did not happen often, my style of speech seemed to prove confusing. In 2001, I traveled to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to visit a friend. The airport most convenient to Hilton Head was locate...

It was quiet. The nearly empty streets of the National Park were illuminated only by the headlights on the occasional passing car. The trees lining the driveway blocked any clear views of the Grand Canyon only yards away. Slowly winding our car along the darkened streets, my friend and I came to a sign directing visitors to a viewing area. We had spent the entire day exploring the South Rim of the Canyon from numerous vantage points, each more impressive than the last. Yet, we had chosen to explore the Park further, seeking out additional views. Vague as it was, this sign piqued our curiosity and we turned off of the main street and onto a gravel-covered parking lot. The view changed immediately. Gone were the towering evergreen trees. In their place was a clear, unobstructed view . . . of nothing. The gravel lot extended a few yards beyond the parking area before it blended with the rocky ledge of the Canyon. Above it, the nighttime sky was imposing ...