I-95 Goes North *and* South

Because we are so depleted by COVID positive employees having to stay home, I had to work a 16 hour shift yesterday (the most we can work under hospital policy) and I got off work at 3 am. I get 8 hours off (the least we can get under hospital policy) and I go back for another 12 hours. That isn’t the point of this post.

For the last several hours of the shift, I worked with a pair of women that I have never worked with before. Both of them are from New York City. They spent the last two hours of the shift comparing New York City to Florida. This is what I heard:

• The people here are (and I quote) “Backwards, backwoods hicks”
• The schools in Florida are awful and don’t teach anything. They can’t understand why the schools don’t teach anything. NYC schools are SO much more advanced
• You can’t get good Chinese food, Pizza, or baked goods here
• One complained that the stores here didn’t carry her specific brand of orange juice that she liked.
• There isn’t much to do here. It’s boring
• The shopping here stinks.
• They pay here is low, and employers expect everyone to get by on peanuts
• They both said they spent their first two years here crying nightly because this place is so awful.

Here is my answer to all of that:

You took Interstate 95 going south to get here. Did you know that the same highway goes north as well? You can always go back. I’m sure, with it being so great and all, you would be much happier.

Here is some advice to those of my readers who would want to move from places in the north to places in the south:

• The people who live here don’t appreciate being called backwards, backwoods, hicks, or any other names. Your new neighbors won’t like you much if you denigrate them.
• The schools in NYC aren’t any better. Actually, Florida and New York schools are fairly comparable.
• The food here is fine, just made how we like it, and not how you like it. Just like you don’t prefer the Chinese and pizza here, I can’t find good biscuits and gravy, Bar B Que, or fried chicken in NYC.
• This is Florida. There are dozens of orange juice brands here. Many are locally produced. I’m sure that one of them is to your liking.
• There is plenty to do here. Florida is a popular tourist destination.
• Have you heard of Amazon? Besides, how can people in NYC shop? Haven’t you been locked down for two years?
• The pay is lower than NYC, but taxes and the cost of living are much higher. Here in Florida, you don’t have to pay $3,000 a month for a one bedroom apartment. We also don’t have to pay 15% state and city income taxes.
• If you really are miserable, go back where you came from, but stop trying to make here like there. You left there for a reason.

This is the attitude that people from New York City are famous for. It’s why most of the people in the rest of the country don’t like New Yorkers. You are arrogant, loud mouthed, and insulting. If that is your attitude, STAY IN NEW YORK.

Rant over.