it's the natural midwestern response. if a midwestern is trying to get to something in an aisle, they'll say something like "ope, 'scuse me," or "ope, gonna sneak right past ya" i thought that was just a natural response but apparently it's just a natural midwestern trait 😢

oop feels... unnatural... 😒 "ope" is, like, the WAY

it's also an alternative to "sorry" or "oh"

ghkwjjewrhy there's so many other phrases considered midwestern that i use that i never knew were miswestern??