I Had NO Clue...The Bubbler??

This was the point in my life, where I learned what a "bubbler" was, and that my dad transferred to a different state. His company opened a new territory, and put him in charge of it. There was no question that he would accept the promotion...Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota...so off we went. No thought, I believe, was given, to the fact that I was a senior in high school, and to be fair, I get that.

SO, my first day of high school in the state that the Packers called home, was interesting. Accents were different, and one thing I realized right away, was that I'd get looks if I used my usual "worsh," instead of "wash." Several hundred miles can make a big difference, I guess, as to how words are spoken.

One thing, though, that I still have trouble wrapping my head around...The Bubbler. If you don't know what that is, you're certainly in the majority. I believe it's just a Wisconsin thing. The first time I heard it, was on my first day, when the girl showing me around, told me that she'd meet me at "the bubbler" just down the hall, after class. Then, she walked to her class. I was left alone, looking down the hall, to see a sign indicating that one had arrived, at "The Bubbler." 

The Bubbler? I wondered...was this a well-known area of the school...a meeting place where those who wanted to walk together, met? And, why, on earth, was it called "The Bubbler?" She just assuned I knew what she was talking about, as she walked away. I had no clue.

When I was assigned a desk my 2nd period class, I turned around, and asked whoever it was behind me, where "The Bubbler" was located. I got kind of a strange look, and was then told, that there are numerous "bubblers" in the school, and which one was I talking about. There was no specific area designated as "The Bubbler," as I had assumed.

I then proceeded to ask him what "The Bubbler" looked like. He then proceeded to laugh, loudly enough that everyone turned around, to see what was so funny. He then, proceeded to put his hand on my shoulder. "The Bubbler," he said, was otherwise known as a drinking fountain. You know, the kind that everyone else in the world calls a drinking fountain, rather than a "bubbler." 

SO, not a big deal, but there are those who still refer to a drinking fountain as a "bubbler." I can't wrap my head around it, nor have I EVER called anything, a "bubbler." I guess, it's just one of those Wisconsin things. There are lots of "Wisconsin" things I love, and that make sense...that isn't one of them. And so it goes.

In Wisconsin, this is a "bubbler." Everywhere else, it's a drinking fountain.