This week I'm back home in Oklahoma. So I figured I would write about -- you guessed it -- Oklahoma. I grew up in Oklahoma City, Okla., and lived there until I was 17 (aside from a small hiccup where I lived in Kingwood, Texas for about four months). Oklahoma City is my home. I may hate it, but at the same time, I absolutely love it. Why? Well, let me start by saying this: to be an Oklahoman, also known as an "Okie", means more than just being from the state of Oklahoma. Former Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry once said:
"Something called 'the Oklahoma Standard' became known throughout the world. It means resilience in the face of adversity. It means a strength and compassion that will not be defeated."
To be an Oklahoman means to be strong, resilient, adverse, compassionate, to be extremely obsessed about one football team over another, to face tornadoes fearlessly and be able to withstand the four seasons like no one else has.
That being said, there is some vocabulary that means one thing to the rest of the world, but to an Oklahoman, it means something completely different. Here are just a few of those words:
1. Sooner.
What it means to everyone else: A time frame, such as "the sooner you get here..."
What it means to Oklahomans: A highly dedicated fan of the University of Oklahoma Sooners, also, the state's nickname ("The Sooner State").
2. Cowboy.
What it means to everyone else: Someone who wears boots and rides horses while rounding up cattle.
What it means to Oklahomans: A highly dedicated fan of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys.
3. Oyster.
What it means to everyone else: A type of seafood.
What it means to Oklahomans: A food that comes not from the ocean, but from a part of a bull that you would never think to eat.
4. Wind.
What it means to everyone else: A gust of air.
What it means to Oklahomans: A gust of air that tries to rip your face off and blow your house down.
5. Langston's.
What it means to everyone else: Just another western clothing store.
What it means to Oklahomans: Heaven on earth. It is the place to go for new jeans (especially Levi's), and cowboy boots.
6. Seasons.
What it means to everyone else: Summer, spring, fall, and winter.
What it means to Oklahomans: December, January, February, and summer.
7. Tornado siren.
What it means to everyone else: A warning that you should find underground shelter.
What it means to Oklahomans: The call to go outside and twister watch.
8. Steak.
What it means to everyone else: A good quality cut of beef.
What it means to Oklahomans: A cut of beef that is fried as if it were chicken, and covered in gravy, also, your new religion. (Welcome to cattle country, folks!)
9. Thunder.
What it means to everyone else: A loud noise that sometimes emits from the sky when it rains.
What it means to Oklahomans: The local NBA team.
10. Sunset.
What it means to everyone else: That thing the sun does every night.
What it means to Oklahomans: The most beautiful thing on Earth, covering the sky the brightest colors for a gracious period of time every day.
All right, now that we have some basic vocabulary out of the way, I would like to share a few things that all Okies know to be true. Here they are:
1. "Y'all" and "All y'all" are a part of our daily vocabulary. "Y'all" refers to two or three people. "All y'all" refers to three or more.
2. The best steak comes from Oklahoma. After all, Oklahoma is Cattle Country.
3. Down here, it's not "soda" or "pop." It's "coke." We'll offer you a coke, and then list off whatever else we have (Sprite, Dr. Pepper, etc.).
4. Sweet tea is a staple, and McAlister's Deli is the place to get it. That is, unless you make it yourself.
5. You don't mind driving, because you have to drive everywhere, anyway. Especially in Oklahoma City, things are definitely not within walking distance of each other. Having a car is the best way to get around. You don't want to rely on our tiny public transportation system, either. The buses are usually never on time.
6. Sonic's Happy Hour is the best part of any day. Sonic does half-priced drinks between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. every day, and that's usually when the heat of the day is the worst. The Oklahoma heat makes a perfect excuse to grab a drink!
7. Braum's is the place to go to get your ice cream fix. Much like Ben & Jerry's is where you go in the Pacific Northwest for the cold treat, Braum's is where it's at down in the Southwest.
8. If the word "Boomer" is heard, the correct response is to immediately yell out, "Sooner." That is, if you're an OU Sooners fan.
9. It doesn't matter if you root for the OSU Cowboys or the OU Sooners, the correct response to hearing "Texas" is to immediately holler, "sucks!" Around here, saying "Hook 'em horns" will lay you to your deathbed.
10. Finally, you know to never rely on the forecast. There's a reason we always quote Will Rogers by saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes. It'll change."
I may hate on Oklahoma, but this place will always be the place I call home. I don't "go home to Portland." No, I "go home to Oklahoma City."
Boomer sooner, my friends. Boomer sooner.
