What are words for?

Yesterday, at the Big M market (which is so small that it leads me to believe that the Big M is a reference to the owner of the market, rather than said market):


Older man, pausing by my car as I transferred the groceries from the cart:  "Yous from Cali?"


Me, believing in my heart of hearts that "being from Cali" is a fabulous and most wondrous thing:  "Yes!"


Him:  "What the hell ah yous doing heah?  Ya lost?"


At which point he abruptly turned and walked away.


Me:  *speechless*


Me:  *giggle*


In my bright and shiny mind, which has been soaked by California sunshine and golden poppies, I believed it was some northern New York quirkiness that led him to state his mind and walk away.  I mean, you hear all about the bluntness (read:  rudeness) of New Yorkers, right?  It was just a new experience in a new state and I happily went about my merry little way, finding the whole thing rather amusing, and possibly even charming.  Oh, these New Yorkers!  


When Dan came home (himself being a native New Yorker) I told him about my funny adventure at the grocery store, giggling and snorting my way through the entire anecdote.


Dan's reaction was slightly different than mine.


Dan:  What the hell?  What an asshole.


Me:  What?  


Dan:  What the hell did he say that for?


Me:  I don't know.  I think he was just stating his mind and calling it a day.


Dan:  *fume*  What a jerk!  What did you say?


Me:  I didn't say anything... he didn't give me a chance.


And here's where the New Yorker in him REALLY came out to play....


Dan:  Well, maybe that's why he walked away.


Me:  ?


Dan:  He was probably expecting to hear something interesting.


Me:  What??


Dan:  Well, he probably thought you'd have something interesting to say about why you're here.


Me:  Ummm... he didn't give me a chance.


Dan:  Yeah, he probably was just expecting to hear something interesting and when you just said "yes" he probably figured you had nothing else to say so he walked away.


Me:


Dan:


Me:  Soooo... you're saying I BORED him into walking away?


Dan:  Well, if I asked someone if they were from somewhere and all they said was yes, I'd figure they weren't interested in talking to me.


Me:


Dan:


Me:  Sooooo... you're saying I BORED him into walking away?


Dan:  Well, that's what it sounds like to me... Nothing else makes sense, right?


Me:  Sooooo... me BORING him into walking away is the only thing that makes sense?


Dan:  Well, yeah.


Me:  So him being a rude New Yorker would have absolutely NOTHING to do with this?


Dan:  What do you mean, "Rude New Yorker"?


Me:  Who ends a conversation with a question and then walks away before hearing the answer?  And who DEFENDS that by stating the answerer of the question was BORING, which made the walking away a typical response?  


Dan:


Me:  *fume*


Dan:  Why are you getting mad?


When cultures collide, y'all... 
That's all I'm saying.