No-Nonsense Vermonters

Vermonters, unlike Mainers, are expected to speak in a simple, direct, no-nonsense manner. Possibly it's all part of the Vermont version of honesty and integrity. The late Allen R. Foley, a Dartmouth College history professor for many years and a state senator from Norwich, Vermont, used to tell the story of the wealthy, well-meaning lady in Cavendish who decided to invite a certain old Vermont handyman to her family Christmas dinner. The handyman lived alone in a shack near the town dump, and during the winter, always wore several layers of underwear, pants, and shirts, which he never removed until spring. When she asked him to come, he said he'd like to think it over and get back to her in a few days. The following week she happened to run into him again, outside the post office, and he gave his reply:

"I want you to know how much I appreciate your kind invitation, ma'am," he said, "but I've got to thinking it over and, well, you see, I'd have to take off all my clothes and then take some sort of bath somewhere and then I'd have to find something else to wear and, well, you know, I guess I've about decided it just ain't worth it."

Source: Judson Hale, Inside New England, New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1982.