mmmbye.

 "Ope" has been having a moment.

For the unfamiliar (re: non-Midwesterners), "ope" is a polite interjection, akin to "oops." The most famous example is "ope, lemme sneak right past ya," which is Midwestern for "pardon me, I'd like to get by" or "I'm so sorry; I bumped you."

Phineas has been saying "ope" since he was three. (He's very polite.)

It was a major shock to me when I saw "ope" first appear on the internet. Like - I thought that was just something I heard in my small corner of the world. Oh no - it encompasses the entire region. Say "ope" anywhere in this huge-ass region, and you won't get a second look. 

You can get "ope" shirts. I have teeny "ope" earrings. I've seen "ope" tattoos. It's a whole personality.

Wall art.

We're not here to talk about "ope," though.

I want to talk about a Midwestern-ism that has seemingly flown under the radar. 

Mmmbye.

Are you a Midwesterner? Have you noticed this? 

I would describe "mmmbye" as the Midwestern conclusion to a non-personal call. Not impersonal, mind you, but non-personal. Like when you call your local bank.

If you are a Midwesterner, it's just about a guarantee you say it without even knowing it. Once I started paying attention, it turns out I say it all the time. It's my "professional goodbye." Weird, right? It's automatic. 

I've tried to be more conscious about not doing it, but it's HARD. Just "bye" is almost too harsh for our Midwestern sensibilities, so you kind of need that "mmm" to lead into it. But it's SO WEIRD. Why the "mmm"? Who started it, and why do so many of us do it?

Common variations include "ok, bye," and "yep, bye." 

Listen to a Midwesterner on the phone sometime and see what their goodbye is like. Odds are the word "bye" is preceded  by something - doubtful you'll hear "I'll talk to you later - bye." You'll hear "I'll talk to you later - ok, bye." 

Hell, call me at the library and pretend to be someone I don't know. Chances are I'll "mmmbye" you.

Damn, the Midwest is weird.