To be issued by the Iowa Tourism Bureau to all visitors:
- Don't order filet mignon or pasta primavera at Joensy's (located in Solon
and Center Point). It's a diner. They serve breakfast 24 hours a day. The
speciality is a breaded tenderloin bigger than a hub cap. Let them cook
something they know. If you upset the ladies in the kitchen they'll kick your
ass. And don't mention that the "o" and "n" are backwards. It's a
Czechoslovakian name. Make fun of it, and Joensy will kick your ass.
- Don't laugh at the names of our little towns (Greeley, Strawberry Point,
Shueyville, What Cheer, etc.) or we will have to kick your ass.
- Don't order a bottle or a can of soda here. Here it's called "pop".
Accept it. Doing otherwise can lead to an ass-kicking.
- We know our heritage. Most of us are more literate than you. We are also
better educated and generally a lot nicer. Don't refer to us as a bunch of
hicks or we'll kick your ass.
- We have plenty of business sense. You have to make a living here.
Naturally, we do sometimes have small lapses in judgment from time to time, but
we are not dumb enough to let someone move to our state in order to run for the
Senate. If someone tried to do that, we would kick her ass.
- Don't laugh at our giant fiberglass strawberries and our Five Seasons trees
made out of metal. Anything that inspires tourists to buy 50,000 postcards
can't be bad. And in Cedar Rapids, don't point at the genitalia on Frank and
laugh or we'll kick your ass.
- We are fully aware of how cold it gets here in the winter, so shut the hell
up. Just spend your money and get the hell out of here or we'll kick your
ass.
- Don't order the vegetarian special at the local diner. Everyone will
instantly know that you're a tourist. Eat your steak medium-rare like God
intended and have some potatoes with that, for heaven's sake! Also, don't ask
what a hot dish is or we'll kick your ass.
- Don't try to fake an Iowa accent. We don't have an accent. Do NOT mention
the movie Field of Dreams, because that will incite a riot and you will
get your ass kicked.
- Don't talk about how much better things are at home because we know better.
Many of us have visited big-city hell-holes like Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis,
St. Louis, and Denver, and we have the scars to prove it. If you don't like it
here, Interstate 80 is ready when you are. Move your ass on home before it
gets kicked.
- Don't complain that Iowa is flat and that all you can see is corn and hogs
until after you've ridden across it in July on RAGBRAI. If you whine about OUR
scenic beauty we'll kick your ass all the way back to Milwaukee. If you don't
know what RAGBRAI is, stay in Milwaukee.
- Don't ridicule our mannerisms. We only speak when spoken to. We hold
doors open for others. We offer our seats to old folks because such things are
expected of civilized people. Behave yourselves around our sweet, little
grey-haired grandmothers or they will kick some manners into your ass just like
they did ours.
- So you think we're quaint or losers because most of us live in or near corn
fields? That's because we have enough sense to not live in filthy, smelly,
crime-infested cesspools like New York or LA. Make fun of our fresh air and
we'll kick your ass.
- Writing it "Ioway City, Idaho, Home of the Hog-eyes" is NOT a joke. Your
ass will be kicked.
- Last, but not least, DO NOT DARE to come out here and tell us how Iowa
should "go back to the Indians." This will get your ass shot right after it
gets kicked. Just mention this once and you will go home in a pine box. Minus
your ass.
Now enjoy your visit and then go home.