Don't lie. You're jealous.

I ate Thanksgiving dinner in a Denny's somewhere in Missouri. At least it seemed like Missouri. This is not something I've made a habit of doing, but I was moving across the country at the time and I was hungry. And, shockingly, both McDonald's and Taco Bell were closed. When I stopped driving that night I was in Oklahoma and there I stay. For a while anyway. And, as I've never lived in Oklahoma, I suppose at least occasionally, I will chronicle the many things I have to get used to here in the dust bowl.

Not exactly trading up, a couple weeks ago I packed up my things in Philadelphia and carted them 1,500 miles west to budding metropolis that is Duncan, Oklahoma. I assume we’re all familiar with Duncan. You remember – the Texoma town somewhere between Oklahoma City and Dallas where you can find no fewer than three snow cone stands in town, a statue of Earl Halliburton, and an old train engine festively decked in half a string of Christmas lights and a wreath. It’s next to the mini tilt-a-whirl in the park. The next nearest town is 40 minutes away so if the Wal-Mart on Highway 81 doesn’t have what you need, you probably don’t need it. At any rate, you certainly can’t have it. The tallest building in town is four stories high and if you stand outside in the wind for long you’ll begin to understand why. Tiny tumbleweeds tumble down the sidewalks and there seems to be an inordinate amount of plaid and trucker hat mesh about. Breathe deep – that’s oil you smell. And probably cow. There might be some cow in there, too. (More later on how much I'm learning about cows.)

After living back east these last few years, being in Duncan is a bit of an odd adjustment. I was in the post office last week and the person in front of me in line turned around when I came in to smile and say hello. Everywhere I go people are looking at me in the eye for no good reason and trying to talk to me. I don’t know what they mean by behaving in such a way, but it’s unnatural. If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a hundred times – quit looking at me and mind your own business.

At any rate, after the post office debacle I also made the two minute trek to the Duncan Public Library to acquire my very own library card. (Incidentally, I am pleased to announce that with my new Duncan card I now have five active library cards in four states. I wonder if there’s a record.) I think you can learn a lot about a town from spending some time in its library. What I learned about Duncan no library loving person should ever have to know.

This does not bode well.

Be awesome, my friends. Be awesome.