Why Does Buffalo Have Some Of The Finest Souls Anywhere?

[35Pete]

Really?

For all that I rag on Buffalo's insanity with their polito-economic beliefs that I think are ruining the region it still has to have the highest per-capita percentage of heaven-bound mortals on the planet.

The city of good neighbors. So damn true.

Where else would you see a 14 year old neighbor shoveling the 76 year old widow's driveway at 9am DURING a blizzard so he doesn't have to shovel that much more later?

Where else do people actually obey the traffic laws?

Where else do neighbor's really look after neighbors? Like when they are on vacation? Or a loved one died? Or someone is sick? They are there. Mowing your lawn. Bringing over a dish.

Where else do people passionately care so much about neighborhoods and history of their area? I mean with a passion.

Where else can you pass someone on the street during a morning walk, say hello and not have them give you a dirty look? In fact, a conversation with that stranger is entirely possible?

I'll tell you. More than the food, that's the part of me that I miss most about Buffalo. But the best part is that it's still in me.

I see it in sukie too. Saw it in Coastal during the Tampa/Buffalo game. Saw it in CoachC. before and during the same game. Saw it with Billsman and Darksyde during a pinto party. Didn't matter where we were lived. Me -> Ft. Lauderdale, Sukie -> Broward/Palm Beach County Line, Coastal -> Tampa, CoachC. -> Ft. Myers. Rick and Darksyde -> Back Home.

One thing we all had in common. We were from the same region.

Question. Serious question. Why are Buffalonians like that? Really?

[Tedp]

The weather. It brings us together to survive. Melds good neighbors.

[35Pete]

Ted. I think there's more to it than that.

[GvilleBill]

It's all damn true Pedro. I miss that feeling and outlook so much. I really can't stand it here. When you give the "how ya doin?" around here you get the blank stare or no response at all. Unless you run into a down home good ole boy (not the pretenders to the title, who have sullied the term). The students around here are getting to me, I think. The town is so geared towards the student night-life that is almost impossible to find a corner bar where everybody knows everybody, and are gleefully buying rounds (helluva lot cheaper back home to boot). Yet I can think of at least 4 in Lackawanna, chief amongst them being Murph's on Warsaw. Beef on weck in G'ville? The Friday fish fry? Shit bro, forget about it.
It's the little things that set a city apart, and Buffalo has it all. My girl lives in Tampa, and I loathe that place more than jock itch. No personality. All style over substance.
Maybe it's just me, or the beer, I dunno...
All I now is I'm trying to get home for Christmas for the first time in 10 years, and I can't think of anything better than Christmas in Buffalo.

[35Pete]

It's all damn true Pedro. I miss that feeling and outlook so much. I really can't stand it here. When you give the "how ya doin?" around here you get the blank stare or no response at all. Unless you run into a down home good ole boy (not the pretenders to the title, who have sullied the term). The students around here are getting to me, I think. The town is so geared towards the student night-life that is almost impossible to find a corner bar where everybody knows everybody, and are gleefully buying rounds (helluva lot cheaper back home to boot). Yet I can think of at least 4 in Lackawanna, chief amongst them being Murph's on Warsaw. Beef on weck in G'ville? The Friday fish fry? Shit bro, forget about it.
It's the little things that set a city apart, and Buffalo has it all. My girl lives in Tampa, and I loathe that place more than jock itch. No personality. All style over substance.
Maybe it's just me, or the beer, I dunno...
All I now is I'm trying to get home for Christmas for the first time in 10 years, and I can't think of anything better than Christmas in Buffalo.

I love Tampa. Gville. You must be talking about South Florida. This place is plastic as hell.

[sukie]

Damn good manners growing up. I fear some of that is dying in Buffalo as of late. Look at the ugliness that is becoming the Ralph Stadium fans... The new group is sometimes an embarrassment to me.

[35Pete]

Damn good manners growing up. I fear some of that is dying in Buffalo as of late. Look at the ugliness that is becoming the Ralph Stadium fans... The new group is sometimes an embarrassment to me.

That's so true sukie.

Ask the 28+ crowd around here what it meant to show good manners. Man you were EXPECTED. And if you didn't then someone elses dad would beat your ass before pops even got to you.

But I see it even here. A decline in that friendly Buffalo spirit among the younger crowd. And man, that's really sad. Cause that's Buffalo's legacy.

[sukie]

The Sabre fans at Panther games are shameful for the most part. Under 30 of course

[GilPerreault]

I agree with much of what you say. There are many friendly, caring people in the Buffalo area. This may be due to the humility of many of the people which could be due to the challenges that many of us have overcome, be they due to economic, health, or the feeling we are second rate to cities like NY City.It could be because of our religious backgrounds and how we were taught to care for others.

I don't wish to rain on this idea, but one thing that I have questioned is why Buffalo is one of the most, if not the most, segragated cities in America. There are many people who go out of their way to help their neighbors, but many choose these neighbors carefully. When whites can live comfortably with blacks as their neighbors then it will truly be the city of good neighbors and not the city of neighbors I choose to be good to due to their compatable race, class and gender.

[GvilleBill]

I love Tampa. Gville. You must be talking about South Florida. This place is plastic as hell.

Thankfully I have never been to South Beach, I believe I would walk out in the ocean and drown myself.
I mostly dislike South Tampa. I guess I'm more a small town dude. I just get a bad vibe when I'm in Tampa, and as I am usually partying and getting laid when I am there, I'm guessing the vibe comes from the town. There are some really cool places to live down there, but I just don't like what it costs to live there. Price of homes to the traffic. I get pissed if I get stuck in traffic here, but the further south I go, the traffic makes me apeshit!

[smashingt2312]

You're giving us youngin's a bad rap. I see a lot of the youth in buffalo that really do care, but its always those certain idiots, like in other towns/cities that ruin it for us.

[35Pete]

You're giving us youngin's a bad rap. I see a lot of the youth in buffalo that really do care, but its always those certain idiots, like in other towns/cities that ruin it for us.

You gotta slap those punks into shape then. But sukie's right. It isn't quite the same as it used to be. I go home for xmas every year. My nephews (18 and 24) were raised the "Buffalo Way" and they chose most of their friends with similar attitudes but I do see the trend there. And man, you lose that Buffalo neighborliness and what's left?

But in all fairness that might just be a national selfishness trend. Cause I gotta tell ya. Kids down here are downright borderline criminal. Watch your back at all times.

[Shama-Lama Ding Dong]

Question. Serious question. Why are Buffalonians like that? Really?

It's because all the *******s moved to Boston.

[Meridius]

I can't stand my neighbourhood in South Park...all around me is drunken trash :(

They're nicer in Depew where my Gram is. One of her neighbours has a plow on his rider mower and plows everyone's driveways....here, drinky winky mows his lawn at 3 am....

[mmiller]

For me, Buffalo's sense of community is the strongest I've seen anywhere else in the nation. "Buffalo" never leaves anyone. We have our own language (at times), our own identity and our own sense of self. I believe it's deeply rooted in our working class, mainly "Catholic" mentality.

It's also that working class mentality that makes us believe the bad things that are said and written about us and it also makes us believe that we don't deserve any more than we've gotten in the past 40 years. I think the 50 and under crowd is turning that sentiment around now and that our collective attitude is beginning to be more positive.

Deep down in all of us, we know that Buffalo is one of this nation's best kept secrets and that despite high taxes, we enjoy qualities of life for our per capita income that can't be compared elsewhere in the country. Let others in the nation belittle us for our October snowstorms and occasional blizzards. I'll take that any day over scorching desert heat, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes. You don't usually die from a little too much snow!

[Billsman]

While I was in WNY this past weekend, I met many people that we ended up either exchanging phone numbers, emails or saying, I'll see you in 2 weeks when you get back. This is/was a huge factor for my return to WNY.

I have a load of friends in Arizona but feel closer to those I have in WNY even if I just met them.

[smashingt2312]

You gotta slap those punks into shape then. But sukie's right. It isn't quite the same as it used to be. I go home for xmas every year. My nephews (18 and 24) were raised the "Buffalo Way" and they chose most of their friends with similar attitudes but I do see the trend there. And man, you lose that Buffalo neighborliness and what's left?

But in all fairness that might just be a national selfishness trend. Cause I gotta tell ya. Kids down here are downright borderline criminal. Watch your back at all times.

What you say is very true, and right on, but i think its a national thing going on right now, there are plenty of us youngin's who are both "good" and "bad". I was raised the buffalo way and i wouldnt want it anyway else, i want to see this city thrive, and there are plenty of us who will go out of our way to help our neighbors, etc.

But its the minority or those people who bring the city, and actual image of all of us under 21 around the nation down.

Plus look at our role models, i certainly dont want my kinds pulling a britney. :bigsmile:

[unklechucky]

Part of the comroderie here is we're all in this armpit together....got to make the best of it. I was raised to help all that I could....but people in general have turned me bitter towards helping. Its not just the youngins....people in general have no respect for themselves or others. Not only was I raised the Buffalo way, but also the Buffalo old Italian way. Respect was one of the biggest things I was taught. The lack thereof makes me sick.