Okie Spirit

If you look up the word "Okie" in the dictionary, you will find the following definition: "a native or inhabitant of Oklahoma". There is also a reference to the Great Depression, but nowhere can I find that the word "okie" is synonymous with daredevil, thrill seeker, or simply stupid.

However, I have it on the very best authority, (mine), that Okies are indeed, daredevils and thrill seekers. OK, maybe we are a little bit nuts as well.

Consider the following as proof of my brilliant conclusion. Monday, May 10th, 2010, there was an outbreak of tornado's in the area. Sirens were going off. Normal people were going to their shelters or at least to a closet. I am sitting on the sofa watching the news coverage of the storm and Bob is at Garden Ridge shopping. While shopping, he hears a huge clap of thunder, but continues to shop. As he was checking out, the sirens go off, but he calmly finishes his shopping and then loads his car and proceeds I-40. He called me and as we were talking, he began telling me about all of the folks parked on the side of the road looking back east of where he was coming from. (Yes, he made it home ok.) When the radio said there was a funnel at Memorial and Penn, I ran outside and looked. Never once thought of going to the closet.

Even when Okies have a tornado staring them in the face, true Okies just stare back. I loved the interview with the lady at the Loves Travel Store that was destroyed. When asked why she didn't take cover earlier, she simply said she was from Oklahoma and this was not her first time at the rodeo. Although, she did concede that it was her closet encounter with a tornado. So, where do you think she rode out the tornado? In her car, until some guy came and forced both her husband and herself to go inside. She did allow that it was a bit scary, but as soon as she finished her coke, she was going to load up and head on down the road.

Yep, gotta love us Okies and our spirit.

Seriously, the Okie spirit is alive and well today. Generous Okies are taking the time to help fellow Okies deal withe the horrible destruction that has occurred in our state. Please keep those folks who lost loved ones, or lost everything they owned, in your thoughts and prayers.