“CLASS: YOU CAN’T BUY IT!”




If you read my story about uppity people, then you know that fakey ones really get to me. Class is not something that you can buy: You can acquire it and maintain it but no way can you fake it. Class doesn’t come on one level; it comes on many levels be it low-income, middle-income or high-income.

The most prime example of a person who faked class was “Mrs.Drysdale” on the Beverly Hillbillies! Yes, she wore the pearls and dressed the part but did she have class? Of course she was a television character but still how she portrayed herself left you knowing that she was faking it due to the fact the her husband was a bank president and she realized his importance as well as hers. Even the tone of her voice was uppity when she spoke to Jed Clampet or anyone she felt was beneath her standing.

Several years ago I was at a person’s house: She was pointing out all the real crystal she had [I have my own] and then I looked at her coffee table: It had a glass top and inside I saw three empty boxes of Godiva chocolate. I have never seen anyone do such a thing. She could see my eyes on those empty boxes and said, “Oh those were given to me as gifts.” Hm? I said nothing but giggled inside myself—oh my.

Another example was when I was invited to a dinner with my first husband. The woman who had the dinner had also invited a local doctor and his wife to join us. The table was lovely set with fine china, silverware and paper napkins. What class faux pas? She always tried to pretend that she was extremely wealthy and the conversation that night went from one “rich” thing to another. Tell you one thing: The doctor and his wife were not impressed. And the paper napkins were a dead giveaway of no class—that is if you are having a very formal sit-down dinner.

I am not inferring that paper napkins are wrong as I use them a lot but they have their place.

Some of my friends are very wealthy and they don’t put on any acts: They are as down home as they come. And in no way have they ever attempted to be fakey which shows that they have class. They don’t brag about what they have or do [although it is apparent that they do have wealth] and that is what class is all about—it’s being real and mannerly. When people are putting on an act trying to be classy, they get a fake tone in their voice. It becomes high-pitched and you can certainly hear it and recognize it—every time, whether it’s a male or a female. And they use huge words which no one has ever heard of before. This has always left me wondering, “What on earth?” And wishing I had brought along a dictionary to look up those weird words.

When you are out and about be on the look for the “Mrs. Drysdale” types or men who act like she did or do you have to look for people like this? Probably not and they are so pathetic!

Sherry Hill