The Island "Hospitality" Epidemic

The Island "Hospitality" Epidemic

Although Hilton Head is the second largest Atlantic Coast Island in the United States, there is still only forty-two square miles of dry land here.  On the busiest summer weekends Hilton Head Island often hosts well over 100,000 visitors, equating to over 2,000 people per square mile!  Even with all that, it never seems to really be crowded, and everyone gets along, acting like old friends; all part of the same group!  So many people, from so many different places, all thrown together on one little island and everyone is happy?  What could possibly be the reason for this phenomenon?  Recent studies, by some of the country’s top scholars, have proven that South Carolina hospitality is contagious, and has reached epidemic proportions on Hilton Head Island!  It is not unusual to find the most arrogant slob from the worst part of any city suddenly become a model of courteousness and consideration:  Eager to help perfect strangers with packages, bags, children and doors, and full to the brim with “ma’ams”, “Sirs”, and “please, after you”!

The symptoms of this epidemic are all over the island, for example:  Everyone who comes here suddenly adjusts to Hilton Head time!  When on “Hilton Head time”, people have a natural tendency to slow down.  Suddenly folks really aren’t concerned with how long the line is at the restaurant; the food is well worth the wait and undoubtedly they will find some truly interesting character to talk to while they wait.  For some strange reason, it is no longer such an inconvenience when a store or shop is a few minutes late opening; it’s just a good reason to have a cup of coffee or browse through the store next door!  The strangest symptom of all, of this epidemic of courtesy, is that no one really seems to care how long it takes you to move your foot from the brake to the accelerator pedal, when the light turns green; unless you’ve slipped into a coma, its doubtful anyone behind will blow the horn at you.  Other symptoms include; folks keeping their dogs on a leash wherever appropriate, and picking up their little messes; and politely alerting people on the bicycle paths that they are about to be passed from behind.

There are few things more relaxing than a Hilton Head weekend or vacation, and little does more to add to that pleasure than this mysterious plague of consideration.

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