Men will always tip his hat
or touch two fingers to the brim when he meets a lady on the street.
No Texan will ever make fun
of another Texan's hat no matter how dirty or bent up it is.
Children are taught to say
"Ma'am" and "Sir" to anyone older and are generally corrected if they
have a moment of brain freeze. This habit continues well into adulthood.
Texans mostly respect other
driver's need to hurry, even if they don't feel the need to be, and will most likely pull
onto the shoulder of a two-lane road so they can pass. But, we do expect a wave of
the hand to say "thank you" as you zoom by!
You best not go over a
rancher's fence without his permission no matter how many points that buck has. This
is considered trespassing and property lines are just not violated in Texas. If you
decide to take your chances, then be prepared to explain in the emergency room how you got
buckshot in your rear. Of course they will probably know anyway. Oh yeah, and
don't forget about those Texas bulls who may decide you just shouldn't be there either!
There are certain rules to
carrying on a conversation with a Texan that are just plain good manners. You never
discuss anything, especially business, without first asking about the family, how they've
been feeling and what they think about the weather. Yankees seem to get impatient
with these preliminaries but this is just the way it is.
John Wayne, may he rest in
peace, rarely removed his hat in the movies when he entered a house or a cafe. If
ladies are present, it is a must that the hat be removed. And a lady is lady until
she proves differently.
Texans always compliment a
good cook by asking for "seconds" or the very least, the recipe.
A Texan always knows when to
back down when something from another state is better. For instance, a Texan knows
that the best and hottest hot sauce comes from our cousin state of Louisiana!
A Texan will always honk his
horn when he's leaving someone's house and then always calls to let them know they made it
home safely.
Lastly, the most important
mannerly act taught to young Texans is to never ask a man where he's from. If he's
from Texas, he'll tell you. If he isn't, don't embarrass him!