Things I Do Because I'm A Moron: II

I have this guy to thank for this one...



Back in college, I got into the habit of saying, "Howdy" instead of "Hi" or "Hello". It's not that I wanted to be a cowboy. I was just under the delusion that somehow, it sounded cooler.

At any rate, one Saturday morning in the 80's, Eugene Meltsner pointed out the following:

"Howdy" is actually a shortened colloquialism for "How do you do?", or more accurately, "How do you fare?"

Therefore, when someone says to you, "Howdy!", your response should be...

"I fare well, thank you."


Well, I didn't do that. I'm not that dumb. (Please...no comments from The Blond or The Whiner.)

But the other day, I was at walking around the corner at the gas station, when I passed a typical Iron Range Guy. We passed closely enough to where a greeting was socially obligatory.

"Howdy," I said.
"How ya doin'," He responded.
"I just asked you that," I said.

He looked at me much the way a potato would, got in his pickup, and drove away.

(For Part III in the "Moron" Series, Click Here.)