My First Trip to Oklahoma // by Cassie

It was the beginning of my first summer after college. I had finished my last final and was on my way to the airport for a little vacation... My destination: Oklahoma. Melissa drove me to the airport, and even though I was going to see her in two weeks, she cried when dropping me off. I think it was the feeling of saying good-bye. It was the end of our freshman year. Everyone was leaving. Our first year at Stanford was over. Anyone can agree its an emotional time, but then again its Melissa.
Oklahoma. Say it out loud. Next thing you know you'll find yourself singing the song from the musical like on that Bing commercial. That about sums up all the knowledge I had about it before I went to visit. Probably about as much as you have right now... Well it's that state right above Texas. Looks like a toothbrush, you know? I realized I was a true American and anything past Arizona was kind of a mish mosh to me. Moving on, I didn't think Oklahoma was going to be any different than California, except for the fact I couldn't hit up the beach anytime I wanted.

While landing there was a thunderstorm. I could see it off in the distance. 

Apparently spring time is their main storm season? I could see the lightning striking. Something we would almost never get to see in the regular season here in Cali. Freaked me out a little bit, especially when riding in the car to Midwest City there was a tornado warning! I mean, why would you stop right in the middle of the Black Eyed Peas hit “My Humps” to let me know a tornado was near but it wasn't a BIG deal.

At dinner I met Sterling's friends from high school. They were pretty cool guys. I understood about half of what some of them said. But the smile and nod and laugh every now and then really worked and got me through dinner. They invited us to go to the river the next day. Did I mention I LOVE the river? I was so excited.

I worked out at an Air Force base nearby then we met up with his friends. There were four of them, and they told me that we were going noodling at the river. I was so excited. I kind of pictured us all on a boat being pulled on one of those banana things. Never got to do it in Havasu so this was definitely my chance. As soon as we pulled over in the middle of nowhere in a two lane road, I was a little confused. We literally were at a river, so then I pictured us floating down the river on noodles. for some reason my body couldn't physically allow myself to get into the river. They didn't understand why I wasn't getting in the water.

Reason #1, they had told me I had to wear shoes to this river so my feet wouldn't get cut on rocks but the only shoes I had were Sperry's. They didn't understand either what Sperry's were or why I did not want to ruin them. (If you don't either... here's why)

Reason #2, people were fishing and pulling out fish that were as big as my leg out of the water they wanted us to go swimming in. Not cool man.

Reason #3, DO YOU KNOW WHAT NOODLING IS? Noodling is the act of fishing for catfish bigger than a toddler with your BARE hands. People lost fingers, even hands from noodling. Now if you ask me, thats a quality first date right there. Nothing more romantic than submerging yourself in doo-doo water and pulling out a fish that could possibly swallow me whole.

Now there's a good old fashioned American right there. Apparently there is a show about noodling now. Good. It can educate us over here in California. Remind us why fishing poles were invented.

Now the truth is, this was quite an experience, and actually made me a lot more open-minded. Plus as the day went on I began to understand around 80% of what his friends were saying to me. I'm not going to lie, they were hilarious. Oklahoma may seem like a completely random place to visit, but it's actually now one of my favorite places to visit. It is completely different from California in so many ways, but in a good way. Now that Hillbilly Hand Fishing is now a TV show, more people can be better prepared than I was.

Okieville. I salute you.