Ayup.

You need to be clear about something here, and that's that New Hampshirites will sometimes seem kind of vague in their communications. It's not that they're confused or impolite -- quite the opposite, in fact. They have a strong sense of propriety, and they are careful to mind their own business. It's no mistake that Robert Frost wrote that famous line, "Good fences make good neighbors," here in New Hampshire. This sense of private space can become problematic for you, the out-of-stater, when you need information from a New Hampshirite because while they are usually all too happy to oblige, they are very reluctant to tell someone else that they have just made a big mistake. They see it as none of their business that you've missed a crucial exit and have already driven 30 miles out of your way or that your child just poured their entire milkshake over the dog in the back seat; they don't want to embarrass you by pointing out such facts. Nobody needs that kind of public humiliation.

So here's some advice: If you find yourself happily chatting away with some New Hampshirite and then they suddenly go quiet on you -- perhaps filling in the awkward silence with the typical slow New England "A-yup, yup, yup" -- stop in your tracks. This means your new New Hampshire friend has noticed you've made some critical error, and doesn't want to embarrass you. You may have just stepped in doggy poo, you may have just bought an over-priced doughnut from the wrong shop, or your fly may be open. Whatever it is, your New Hampshirite friend is trying to give you a chance at a graceful recovery or exit, so immediately size up your environment and figure out what went wrong. Then....... A-yup, yup, yup, yup, yup yup yup.