The South is funny like that I guess

It seems that everyone one I meet in NY has some sort of Southern connection (of course because everyone is a transplant anyway) but I find it so amusing how people respond when the topic comes up. I recently spoke with a guy online and we were talking about the South. He said, "The South, huh? I spent 6 years in Richmond" and I responded "Birmingham, 2 years." It's like we're discussing our time spent in prison or something. Might as well have said "Fulsom, life plus 50. Shot a man so I could watch him die.."