blondesolomon
Foreign is being able to taste American water without fear of getting sick from it. It's knowing your skirt is too bright for this crowd, but wearing it anyway, almost like waving a flag that cries out your nationality in a heavy street. Foreign hears English as a series of odd sounds, American speakers expressive, but not using their hands enough.
The girl knew she was foreign because she could see "strange" in the eyes of her friends. Even though they thought she was chic and sophisticated, they didn't quite trust her with American ways. They didn't believe she could understand them. But she wanted to tell them that Americans weren't as wonderful and charming as they perceived themselves to be. It was fairly easy to mimic their cavalier attitudes.
It's not just for cowboys anymore. There are barely any horses in our world, there are barely any train robbers anymore, but there's still a proliferation of whiskey amongst men (usually, it seems) who are afraid to write or afraid to paint or afraid to commit to a pretty lady. Whiskey is for cowards who imagine themselves heroes.