Living in a university town, one quickly grows acclimated to the rhythm of the seasons. I’m not speaking of the earth’s seasons, but of the academic seasons...This is Homecoming Weekend here in Stillwater and tonight was OSU’s Walkaround, an evening once a year when the townspeople walk around (thus the name) Fraternity Row and view the monstrosities the frat boys have built on their front lawns. Some of them are really quite good. It must be gratifying for Mom and Dad to know their money is going toward millions of wadded up tissues, scaffolding and electronic moving parts that make a front lawn J.F.K. wave at drunken passersby and frighten the swans and ducks at Theta Pond. But it is fun. The night air has just this week turned crisp with autumn and the skies are clear. And the Strip, just a block away from the event, is home to a number of popular bars and diners.
Tomorrow is the homecoming parade, followed by the football game. Everything in town is orange. The university’s colors being orange and black, I wore black when we went out this afternoon. But then, I almost always wear black. Anyway, the parade is tomorrow morning at 9. This is something I’ve been successful at avoiding since I moved here in 2000, but this year Lauren is marching with Stillwater High School. I remember when I was in marching band. Despite the fact that it’s now nearly 2 a.m. and Nettl will be waking me at 7:30, I’m looking forward to it. Main Street looks an awful lot like the one in the movie, Animal House, and that was a lot of fun. My son and I drove by Fraternity Row a couple of days after Homecoming in 2000 and one house actually looked like the Delta House, with an overturned Herculon sofa on the front lawn, surrounded by a virtual landfill of beer cans, papers, Taco Bell wrappers and God know what else. I delighted in that. The university is the greatest reason I like living here. I'm not sure how long that honeymoon will last, though. Afterward, Nettl and I are going over to Tulsa for our monthly jaunt to Sam’s Club (I call it The $200 Club). I can get lunch there; the free samples of Bagel Bites and Cheese Whiz on crackers are around every turn.
Speaking of junk food, I just have to brag, although it’ll make me sound a little vain. Last spring I was wearing 36×30 Levis. When I bought a new pair today, I eased comfortably into some 31×30’s. I haven’t had Levis this size since 1989. I feel great.
And I’m just busting with some more good news, although I won’t tell you very much. Come to think of it, Papageno had a padlock put on his mouth. Good lesson.
