I'm not "scurred" of lions and tigers and "burrs..."

Dear St. Louis:

What is up with the language?

I was waiting in the check-out line at Wal-Mart the other day and a man leaving the store struck up a conversation with a cashier on the way out.

"Your sister was in hurr the other day," she told him.
"I know. We was supposed to be hurr together but she left me thurr," he said.
"Hahaha! Why she leave you thurr?"

What? I felt like I had walked into a Chingy video ("I like the way you do dat right thurr (right thurr)...").

It's beyond me to understand why "there" sounds like "thurr." Same goes with here (hurr). I could say it's part of the Lou's southern feel. I mean, people in the south drink sweet tea and talk about things "over yonder." Who am I to judge?

I was standing in line in Ponderosa one weekend and a lady was asked if she needed a high "churr" for her toddler.

The man giving me my haircut asked if I wanted my sideburns cut up to "hurr." I suppose he meant the bottom of my ear lobe.

I'm not understanding, and I really want to. If someone can explain it, please do. In the meantime, St. Louis, do you. Just as long as it doesn't catch on with me.