Back Home Again (in Oklahoma)

After my last day in Paris, I caught a taxi from Audreys house to the airport on a Tuesday morning. I'd spent the whole of the previous day walking around, and only about 30 min repacking my four bags, so after I checked in and was about to go through security I realized with a wave of panic that I had two jars of jam, one jar of mustard, and a fancy corkscrew still in my carrryon - all prohibited items. I'm a frequent flier and know the regulations, so there was no one to blame but myself, and nothing to be done, because I'd already checked two bags in and it cost $75 to check a third. I sent my carryons through the xray, and they found every one of my prohibited items. Feeling stupid, but with a much lighter bag, I slinked into the waiting area to pout and curse at myself.

The 8 hour overseas leg of the flight was uneventful and boring, and I had a three hour layover in Dulles before the three hour flight to Oklahoma City. As soon as I stepped into my first US airport in three months I began to see things I hadn't realized I'd missed while I was gone. CNN Live on the television, Dr. Pepper in the cooler, and Discover magazine on the newsstand all jumped out at me immediately. I'm slightly embarassed to admit that my first food back in the US was an Auntie Anne's pretezel dog, but it looked so good as I walked by that I couldn't resist.

When we boarded the flight to Oklahoma City I began to see signs of all the things I love about people from my state: passengers chatting to one another in the waiting area and on the plane, joking with the stewardesses, older men bantering mild flirtation that's more endearing than annoying, the captain welcoming us on board and sounding like he actually meant it.  When we landed, it felt good to be back.

Oklahoma comes from two Choctaw Indian words, Okla, meaning "people" and Humma, meaning "red", so literally means "Red Man." Its history is inextricably tied to Native American tribes and agriculture, and the town names reflect this heritage. Traditional names include Choctaw, Chickasha, Shawnee, Seminole, Wapanucka, Wewoka, Waurika, Wetumka, and Weleetka (one tribe really liked their Ws). Anglicized Indian names include Little Axe, Stillwater, Big Canyon, Sand Springs, Clear View, and White Bead. Then there are the town names that defy explanation, such as Needmore (need more what?), Village (you don't say), Romulus and its neighbor just down the road, Remus, and my personal favorite, Slaughterville.

My town, Norman, has a fairly boring ancestry, named after Abner E. Norman, a surveyor who took measurements in the area prior to the Land Run of 1889.

First sight of the U.S. as we descended below the clouds!