Do ya get it yet?

PITTSBURGH FRIENDS vs. OTHER FRIENDS


OTHER FRIENDS: Never ask for food.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.

OTHER FRIENDS: Bring a bottle of wine to your party.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Make the pierogies & stay to clean up afterwards.

OTHER FRIENDS: Will come to your house warming party.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Will help you move.

OTHER FRIENDS: Will watch sports with you.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS:Will take off of work for a week to drive to a Steeler away game with you.

OTHER FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Call your parents Mom and Dad.

OTHER FRIENDS: Bail you out of jail and tell you what you did was wrong.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Would be sitting next to you saying, Damn...we messed up - that was fun!

OTHER FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Cry with you.

OTHER FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

OTHER FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowd's butt that left you behind.

OTHER FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"

OTHER FRIENDS: Will talk trash to the person who talks trash about you.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Will knock them the HELL out!

OTHER FRIENDS: Are for a while.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Are for life.

OTHER FRIENDS: Will ignore this.
PITTSBURGH FRIENDS: Will send it on to more Pittsburgh friends.

I was forwarded this email from 2 different friends -one still in the 'burgh & one in FL the last 22 years. Even though I've been in CO for 10 years now, I don't think it will ever be "home". I really miss my friends (friends who are family?!) and my family. Sad but true that Nikki still considers her hometown to be Pittsburgh -and she's spent more than 1/2 her life here. Joe says it's b/c we grew up together & went through so much life together that we can't find other friends like our circle. I think it's more than that. I think it's also partly to do with a shared culture of caring & welcome & acceptance. Whatever it is, I miss them like mad today & most days. (there are 2 or 3 friends I've made here who could be qualified as "honorary" Pittsburghers just for the sheer fact that they fulfill every category listed -well, maybe not the Steeler away game item and that's okay 'cuz that is definitely an acquired taste that not everyone is lucky enough to have. I cherish those folks dearly too!)