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Americans have long been exporting their pop culture to the world. With TV shows and movies being among the most consumed global American exports, it's no surprise that US actors and directors are recognized all around the globe. However, for all of us non-Americans out there, sometimes the silver screens get us all dazed and confused. Do American people really drink from those red plastic cups at parties? Do they really wear shoes inside their houses? Is homecoming really such a big thing as movies make it out to be?

But we're gonna need a true expert's opinion on the matter—our Bored Panda readers living in the US! So scroll down below to read all the questions that people had about the things they saw on TV and feel free to share your answers!

#1

221Lauren Report

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Felix Feline
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Living in a college town I can attest that yes they do. It's all anyone talks about, and the traffic jams are awful. High school football here is just as bad.

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#2

euricawithhope Report

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Andres Tejeda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its the easiest reference for us and a football field is 100yards or 300 feet or 91.44 meters.

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#3

PaigeImogenxx Report

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Kristin Scarbrough
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We say goodbye, or something like it. It's an idiosyncrasy of script writing, not Americans.

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#6

kaya_lorne Report

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Erin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my relatives from Ireland come to visit, they love to play with the garbage disposal. Even the people in their 60's think it is hilarious. They refer to it as "the murder sink".

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#7

XXXX_G0LD Report

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#9

disposablefilms Report

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Erin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was in school, it was hard boiled eggs. Now they have high-tech baby dolls called Baby Think About it. It is a Life Skills class that teaches you how to be an adult.

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#12

benallenwf Report

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Kristy P
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The "funeral" is usually in a church and then a burial service graveside.

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#14

RiverrunStately Report

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Catlady6000
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is especially true in small towns. The largest parking lot in town is the local teen hangout

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#15

sam_pIant Report

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Hedy Hahn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, Homecoming is really big here in the US. Celebrating at high school and university.

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#18

KatieBelsey Report

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Keith Nolen
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because Americans have been sold the lie (mostly by Nestle, thank you!) that bottled water is better than tap water in some way. In truth most of the bottled water IS tap water.

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#22

todorokidokie Report

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Hedy Hahn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We do call them Kleenex all the time probably because that brand is what we used.

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#24

ThandekaMsane Report

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Dynein
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that is to avoid accidental advertising? I'd think that in most (industrialized) countries, the typical bags offered by stores have the store logo all over them...

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JuJu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think it's about the neutral bags...but why do they never have handles in movies? they just carry it in their arms.

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Erin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Paper bags are sort of a thing of the past, but I suppose they look better on screen that the non-recyclable ones given to you at the store. Personally, I have reusable canvas ones that I take with me everywhere.

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April Simnel
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not always since the late 80s, but some stores still use paper bags. In NYC, now that using plastic bags is illegal, stores will sell you a paper bag to use for 5 cents each, and reusable bags for a couple of bucks if you forget to bring your own bags. But they don't always have a loaf of French bread sticking out of it.

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Jim Ellington
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They were a thing until the 80s. They're neat and all, but no one really wants a non-waterproof bag that smells funny and has no handles.

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elfin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. For a time plastic bags were more common, but they linger in the environment so paper has made a comeback. A lot of people do bring their own bags, but with the current pandemic the clerks are not allowed to touch them so we're back to paper.

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Sawdust
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Back before the late 80s, most grocery stores used brown paper bags without handles.

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Lacey Heward
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Started using paper when we moved to the woods and had a wood stove. It's a good fire starter. Plus plastic sucks!

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Brent Kaufman
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only paper bags were used when I was growing up in the 70s. Plastic wasn't used until late 70s or 80s.

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Emily Smith
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Since we now have a plastic bag ban in place, yes - many people use paper bags. Reusable shopping bags are becoming more prevalent.

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JannerBananer
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes we do. And they're useful for recycling said groceries later.

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Tanyard Park
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Paper, plastic or reusable options are available. Plastic being the most common currently but paper bags were the primary options through the 70's, 80's and early 90's. A lot of stores are going back to paper as they are better for the environment than plastic and are reused to sort recycling.

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Jaybird3939
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Believe it or not, paper bags were used before we had plastic ones. This goes waayy back, to the turn of the LAST century.

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Felix Utterback
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We do a lot more plastic bags which is awful for the environment. I wish paper bags were as common as in movies

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Crazycube
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people do because in a lot of stores paper bags are cheaper than plastic bags

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Randy Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nowadays I think most of us use recyclable bags for groceries to avoid wasting more plastic or killing more trees for paper bags.

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Podunkus
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the movies, every bag of groceries has a loaf of French bread sticking out so you know it is a bag of groceries.

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Viv Hart
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have my own shopping cooler bag, with the store's logo, using less plastic.

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Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm having a hard time understanding that the rest of the world doesn't have paper bags for groceries.

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AliJanx
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. Publix still asks "paper or plastic" and it's amazing how often a paper bag gets reused

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CbusResident
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

An American here, yes I did that last night! I worked at a grocery store here that had a whole paper bag recycling program, and in elementary and middle school the teachers would often have us make a 'book cover' out of a brown paper grocery bag for our textbooks during the first week of school. Lol.

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T Chen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On the West Coast a lot of areas began charging for paper or plastic bags so we began using reusable bags. then Coronavirus happened and disposable bags are now back in vogue.

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Johnny Farnen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Paper bags used to be the standard for grocers until the mid 1980s and the advent of plastic bags.

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Sarah Levine
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Where I live, paper grocery bags are always available. Someone packing your groceries always asks "Paper or Plastic?" I bring my own bags, but if I don't have enough, or forgot them, I always use paper. Then I put my recycling in the bags at home.

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Karasu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, we have paper grocery bags. "Paper or plastic" is not about your payment method.

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Pug Pug
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worked in a grocery store for years. Mostly old people want paper and double bagged. Im from NY

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Mary Kelly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

many stores don't even have paper bags anymore...just flimsy plastic ones...but responsible americans bring their own reusable bags to the grocery store

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Nandy Nam
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah !!' Trader Joe's is the best example and most recently Giant start (or go back) to use them as well :)

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albertmarksjr@aol.com
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not until the plastic bags were recently outlawed in NEW YORK STATE. Pain in the @#$ !!

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KLo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The smart Americans who avoid plastic bags, so they don't end up in the ocean do. I use paper bags, but I moved to America as an adult.

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Lisa Shelton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a store where I live where I will still sometimes get paper bags instead of plastic. They can be useful to save.

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Amanda Rudnicki
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We are intelegent and conscious of the fact that plastic bags are killing the ocean.

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Andrea Anthony
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

paper is common where I live if you don't bring a reusable bag, because there's a plastic bag ban. when I was a kid in the 80s, it was like all plastic all the time.

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arianna kalal
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here in Oregon passed a law for no paper bags and they usually charge you 5 cents

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Siena Valenta
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. If you didn't bring your own bags to the store, you can get them from the store. Sometimes paper, sometimes plastic, sometimes both.

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Philler Space
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And there is always a french load and a bunch of carrots/celery sticking out of it!

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Marsha Brown
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, used to always carry groceries in paper bags. Then plastic bags came in. For many years, the checkout people would ask, "Paper or plastic"; in some stores, paper bags were still available until quite recently. Now, some cities and states in the U.S. are banning plastic bags. People are expected to bring their own, multi-use bags, or buy them there. But I believe that some stores are experimenting with a return to paper bags.

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The Emerald Triangle
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And you have to pay for the bags you get from the store if you don't have your own.

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The Emerald Triangle
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my county plastic bags are illegal. It's all paper bags or bags you bring from home.

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Daisy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They are environmentally friendly! I know Whole Foods does this. My cats absolutely LOVE the bags!

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Bill
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What are you basing that assumption on? Ever been to a paper mill?

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Holly Hofmann
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always choose paper bags over plastic when given the option. Much more ecological.

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Full Name
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'll just copy/paste another reply I gave above: Paper takes WAY more water to produce, more energy to produce, is orders of magnitude larger which means that much more transport/storage involved, and paper bags are almost never reused. Add that to the pollution the forestry industry and pulp mills produce and it's not a clear cut winner by any stretch. Then add to that the fact that sweating ice cream in a paper bag when you walk out into a rainstorm is a recipe for disaster and I say paper can go to hell.

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DKS 001
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

as an american: when is the last time you've seen a paper bag? And why all these comparisons to television .... is that the ONLY way you get to see "American culture"? Hollywood is full of c**p

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Bill
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Paper bags for frozen goods. Still have them in grocery stores

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Hedy Hahn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, now we use plastic bags donated free by the grocery stores usually.

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#25

tobesostyles Report

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ROSSELAIRA EUGENIE CRUZ
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess it depends. My family and friends only do photoshoots for weddings, 18th birthdays (girls), 21st birthdays (boys), or someone's first birthday.

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#26

danaokeke Report

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Erin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Chicken and waffles is a religious experience. I live in the Midwest and some of the best chicken and waffles in the world is right here in Indianapolis at Maxine's Chicken and Waffles. Another awesome place is in Harlem (where chicken and waffles was invented).

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#28

Fkatiee Report

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April Simnel
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's ground meat with binders like egg and breadcrumbs, and can also have minced onions and peppers (capsicum), and seasonings that's all mixed together and baked in a loaf pan in the oven. Most people make it with just ground beef, but when I was little in the 70s, in our home it was made with ground beef, pork, and veal, and we had it maybe once a month with homemade mashed potatoes and brown gravy, and a green vegetable. I don't eat meatloaf now. It's not horrible, it's just not my first choice for comfort food.

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#30

aIIexx_ Report

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April Simnel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the big cities, all you need to do is raise your arm on a busy street. I've lived in NYC almost 30 years now, and no one yells "TAXI!" here. I grew up in a smaller town, though, and in the smaller places, you pretty much have to call a taxi in advance. I never flagged a cab until I moved to NYC.

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#31

gxlway Report

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MammaG
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It used to be more popular, but most jobs are boring and kids get in the way. It's take your kid to work, not just daughters.

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#32

infinityonhi Report

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Hedy Hahn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually it’s called a salad and usually there are other vegetables in it as well.

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#34

DarwinParkin Report

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Sam Kunz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess the same reason brits say "Innit" after something to make sure you pay attention.

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#35

OUTROYOONIE Report

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ROSSELAIRA EUGENIE CRUZ
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We only leave a spare key somewhere if we're not home and a relative/friend is going to stay with us. And even then, it's not under the doormat. (Anyone else does do this???)

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#40

emmapattz Report

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Kate Yeti
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's an older term meaning person, guy, dude, etc. Think it might have to do with sheep busters (sheep equivalent to cowboy?)

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