Appalachian Word of the Week -- TETCHED

I heard this word a lot when I was growing up in Harlan County. My parents often looked at each other and said, "He's TETCHED in the head."

I soon learned TETCHED could be used to describe anyone who behaved differently from how you were brought up to behave. That included how you ate your food (with your mouth open), what you ate (raw fish or escargot), what you wore, or how you behaved in public.

Driving a decorated car must mean you're TETCHED

If somebody walked down the road and talked to themselves, they were TETCHED. If they wore a coat in the summer, they were TETCHED. If somebody wanted to do things in a different way than you were taught to do them, yep, they were TETCHED.

And especially if they wore several layers of clothing and pushed a buggy they snatched from A&P and filled to the top with layers of the Harlan Daily Enterprise (yellowed with age) up and down the streets of Harlan while singing songs like "Pop Goes the Weasel" in the sun, rain, or snow, she was a lot TETCHED. She was TETCHED in spite of the fact that when she died, they found over $100,000 hidden among those weathered newspapers. At least that's the story that went around. Made me wish I was a bit more TETCHED if I could have that kind of money.

There are some truly crazy things people do that would make me think they must be TETCHED to even attempt them. Here are some examples.

TETCHED and potentially armless

Can you imagine the pain if he misses?

I'm hyperventilating just thinking about climbing so high

There have been times in my life that I'm sure my parents looked at me and decided I was TETCHED, too. They never understood why I decided to move to New York City to be an actress and singer. My mom couldn't understand why I wanted to be a writer, either. She thought every mean or naughty character I wrote about was HER.

Yep, I guess I am a bit TETCHED. But then, that's what makes life more fun.

So, join me today in doing something worthy of making people say, "He/she is a bit TETCHED in the head."

Dress up and make people notice you

Put on a show for people you meet

Or just be yourself

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