Friday, February 18, 2011

A Little Humor

Leafing through an old scrapbook, I came across a newspaper article (I believe it is from the June 26, 1977 issue of the Raleigh News & Observer) titled, "Ocracoke Visitors Ask the Darndest Questions." A few samples (collected by National Park Service Rangers):
  • Does it rain salt water here?
  • Is this still the United States?
  • Where is low tide?
  • Do you have to take another ferry to get to Ocracoke?
  • What does the ocean do?
  • What is the name of the Ocracoke lighthouse?
  • What are we supposed to be looking at on this island?

One of my all time favorites (referring to Howard Street) is "I see this is a one-way street. If we go down there, can we get out?" I can only guess what they were thinking -- maybe that at the end of Howard Street there is a huge parking lot filled with rusting automobiles.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Sam Jones, Island Legend. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news012111.htm.

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:15 AM

    Oh well, I guess we mainlanders do ask some strange questions about Ocracoke, but maybe residents on the island ask unusual questions about the mountains!!!!!

    I.E. When you go down the side of the mountain, can you get back up? Or, what's on the other side of the mountain? Or, do cows and sheep have two short and two long legs to be able to graze on a side of a mountain?

    Fun stuff!

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  2. Anonymous6:18 AM

    Inquisitive minds want to know!

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  3. Anonymous7:14 AM

    Philip, When I was in Ocracoke last November, I had no cell phone service. (AT&T) Someone told me that they had just put up a new tower and the lack of service was temporary. I am coming back next month and am curious as to whether I'll have service this time since there's no phone in the unit I'm staying in.

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  4. Anonymous8:37 AM

    Goood morning! Thanks for starting my day with a smile.

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  5. I'm sure islanders (me included) ask silly questions when we visit other places. I heard about one store owner in a tourist area who had 10 questions (and their answers) displayed on the front of her counter (e.g. "How do I get to the lighthouse?"). When someone walked up to her and asked, "Are these the 10 most common questions you get?" she reached under the counter and brought up a sign on a stick. It said, "Yes."

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  6. About AT&T: I asked around the village last week and no one seemed to know when AT&T service would begin on Ocracoke. Maybe one of our readers has heard. When I find out I'll let you all know.

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  7. Anonymous9:02 AM

    Ha. Nice to know tourists are consistent through the ages...

    Remember the "Tunnel Permit" stickers locals had on their cars a few years back? Those spawned some great questions.

    Seems every restaurant server on the island can spout off a "top ten" list - my favorite from last year was, "Do you all have Christmas here?"
    *sigh*

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  8. My favorite question remains, "Does the water go all the way around the island?"

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  9. Anonymous2:29 PM

    Just goes to show...you're never to old to learn something stupid!

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  10. Anonymous6:39 AM

    Like I wrote earlier, inquisitive minds want to know....let me add....even if it's the obvious! Guess we can all "laugh with each other" and NOT "at one another", regardless where we live!

    And, remember this blogger's legs may be on the mainland, but my heart is always on Ocracoke!

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