What makes for a real New Yorker?

Today at work, I started picking up a New York accent. I was "cross-training" as a cashier in Angelica's juice bar, and I got it by mimicking Andrea, the woman training me. It wasn't exactly intentional, though I heard myself doing it, and I knew I wasn't supposed to talk that way. My inner-voice took the accent first. What was my speaking voice supposed to do? On the spot translations for my mile a minute motor mouth? Of course not. It went with it.

The new accent was a defense mechanism. I'd seen Andrea around before - when I was training for phone - and though she was nice, we weren't really getting along. She was one of those people that I couldn't even make small talk with. "Whatever," I thought, "I'm not here to make friends. I'm here for two things: calories and cash."

But it's nice to be able to chit-chat with co-workers on some sort of basic level. I failed as a waiter in Prague for many reasons, but the proverbial nail in the coffin was not interacting with my co-workers in any way.

There was gaping chasm between me and Andrea, and that was her legit born and bred New York cred versus my transplant from Texas suburbia phoniness. But after I stole her accent a few minutes into our shift, she and I could suddenly relate.

I became a different person, more of an in-the-moment Brooklyn wise guy. With that common ground, conversation was a cinch. We were just a couple of kids from the neighborhood, chillin' on the stoop, shooting the shit before playin' some b-ball. The only thing missing was an open fire hydrant. It made for a much less awkward shift, though I hoped I wasn't losing my identity. 

Eventually we got around to our backgrounds. I was kind of embarrassed to tell her I'd just moved from Texas, what with my New York accent and all. But then get this! After I admitted everything, she didn't laugh at me, she didn't call me an impostor. No, no. She said, "Oh my gawd! Yow're from Tehxas? Thawt's SO funny! I'm from San Antoniow!"

She'd only moved to New York a few months ago. She was just as much of a fraud as I was!

I dropped the accent.

Comments

[rachel]

well, i wouldn't call her a fraud. i have, strangely enough, dropped my natural accent in favor of a more texas-accepted way of speaking.
at first i tried really hard to change the way I spoke, and after awhile i didn't have to try....it just came naturally.
for instance, i naddress all the people at my work with "what would ya'll want to drink?"
i think it just makes it easier for one to fit in.
im sure i will start speaking all weird once i get to new york, in a sad attempt to reclaim the way i once spoke.

anyway, it would be really funny if you started having a new york accent.
funny, but not sexy. no, not at all.

[Dingo]

I just... sort of want to cry... when you talk.

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