Eddie and I are on the second half of our Christmas trip. After a week with Eddie's family in Texas, we drove 10 hours straight north to Lincoln, NE where I'm from. Only two hours into our trip, we crossed the Oklahoma border. Upon first site of an Oklahoma oil pump, an old memory was triggered and I told Eddie this story.
My mother lived in Oklahoma when she was younger and to this day dreams of going back. On a family vacation when I was 16, we drove to Florida passing through Oklahoma on the way. This was the first time my mom had been back for years. Sitting in the front seat of the car, she suddenly squealed with such excitement, randomness, and intensity, that everyone in the car jumped a mile in the air. I was terrified that maybe we hit an animal in the road or something horrible. When my mother calmed down, she explained that she had seen an oil pump, and it simply reminded her of a happy childhood memory that she hadn't thought of for years. I told Eddie this story and rolled my eyes with a look that said, "That's my mother for ya."
Only eight short hours later, we crossed over the southern Nebraska border. The scenery was remarkably similar to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, so I was not too excited about being back into my home state just yet. That is, not until we passed through a tiny town with two fast food restaurants that happen to be my favorites. Not only that, but they are exclusive to the state of Nebraska and anyone in Husker Land will know exactly what I mean when I say "Runza" and "Amigos."
Before I could stop myself I yelled, "Oh my gosh!!!" and slapped Eddie on the shoulder. Puzzled, startled, and confused, he looked at me in bewilderment. His heart nearly stopped in his chest and he waited in frustration for me to explain my outburst. "It's a Runza and an Amigos!" I explained. He rolled his eyes and immediately, we both remembered the story I had told of my mother a few hours earlier. I laughed in spite of myself and shrugged. Like mother like daughter.
My mother lived in Oklahoma when she was younger and to this day dreams of going back. On a family vacation when I was 16, we drove to Florida passing through Oklahoma on the way. This was the first time my mom had been back for years. Sitting in the front seat of the car, she suddenly squealed with such excitement, randomness, and intensity, that everyone in the car jumped a mile in the air. I was terrified that maybe we hit an animal in the road or something horrible. When my mother calmed down, she explained that she had seen an oil pump, and it simply reminded her of a happy childhood memory that she hadn't thought of for years. I told Eddie this story and rolled my eyes with a look that said, "That's my mother for ya."
Only eight short hours later, we crossed over the southern Nebraska border. The scenery was remarkably similar to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, so I was not too excited about being back into my home state just yet. That is, not until we passed through a tiny town with two fast food restaurants that happen to be my favorites. Not only that, but they are exclusive to the state of Nebraska and anyone in Husker Land will know exactly what I mean when I say "Runza" and "Amigos."
Before I could stop myself I yelled, "Oh my gosh!!!" and slapped Eddie on the shoulder. Puzzled, startled, and confused, he looked at me in bewilderment. His heart nearly stopped in his chest and he waited in frustration for me to explain my outburst. "It's a Runza and an Amigos!" I explained. He rolled his eyes and immediately, we both remembered the story I had told of my mother a few hours earlier. I laughed in spite of myself and shrugged. Like mother like daughter.
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