On Monday, I took a day work trip to Norman, home of the seven time national champions. In case, you don’t believe me I refer you to this picture of The Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (that’s a mouthful, and I didn’t even reference that Owen Field is inside!).
I was at the OU College of Law, which has undergone major renovations since we left Norman in 1998. It’s a much improved facility. As I’m forced to do by my internal demons, I grabbed lunch at Pizza Shuttle–home of the greatest cheap pizza on the planet–and a Vanilla Dr. Pepper at Classic 50′s, which really out-dos Sonic in the flavored-soda department.
When I was done at the Law School, I drove by one of the homes I lived in for part of high school. First, I was surprised to see The King, Barry Switzer, standing in his front yard just around the corner from the old house. His is the nicest and newest by far in the area. Second, I was underwhelmed by our old house and neighborhood. It was far from a palatial estate, but I remember it as a nice, clean house on a nice, clean street. But on seeing it, the whole neighborhood was distinctly less than what I recall. So I’m left wondering whether I had stored an idyllic and unrealistic picture in my mind or whether the neighborhood was as I recall it, but time has taken its toll. My guess is both are true.
The old homestead of 1988-89 or so
Anyway, I do still love Norman. And Boomer Sooner!
Wow – the house looks a little neglected. We rented it before we purchased that last house in Norman, but still it was a decent neighborhood and the house had a really comfortable floor plan – remember the attic up over your room where the girls would play? Sherry Riga-Morris lived with us there and who could forget Julie… Well, mostly good times…
I forgot – thanks for thinking to take a picture!