Over the years, I have often used regular Appalachian words or phrases that, shall I say, surprise some folks. I can recall using the word “diddle” (Appalachian for “a small chick”) at a Bankers Meeting in Richmond. As I saw the blank stares, I explained the word to a group who, beyond not knowing what the word meant, had not grown up on a farm raising chickens (among other things).
Another phrase that amuses my wife and her mom is “Fix and Go”. Or as my mom would say, “Well I guess we better fix and go”. Perhaps that is a phrase you hear or have heard among your family.
While amusing to some, it has its roots in older English (you can Google that). When you stop and think about the “fixing” needed at one time to “go”, – saddling the horse or hooking up the wagon, loading tools, tents and blankets when traveling from Wise to Abingdon was a three-day trip (one day to get there, one day for business and one day to get home) – it makes sense. One can envision that there were a lot of things to do (fix) in order to go anywhere.
I was reminded of this delightful phrase as I thought of the things we will need to fix to get ready to go back to normal operations.
Some banks and businesses will rush ahead to open. These are the organizations we may find on the side of the road that failed to plan for flat tires or didn’t fill the gas tank on their trip back to business normalcy.
Taking our time and explaining to customers our decisions and care for them will allow us to balance opening fully with protecting everyone. It is a long-term (shall I say, 132 year-old) business strategy.
Well, I’ve got to fix and go.
Diddles need feeding.
– Leton
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“Letters From Leton” is a blog series comprised of the weekly updates that Leton Harding – President, Chairman, and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank, shares with the Bank’s team members. These newsletters are full of uplifting anecdotes and intriguing insights that are applicable beyond the Bank, so we want to share them with you.
