Yes it has...........
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April 19, 1995
I've been there........to that very spot. Some guy with a beef, killed 168 people, but..........no one he was mad at. Useless........murder.
I've said that anyone who visits here will go there. Have to apologize to my nephew for not taking him. But my brother went, he felt the power of that place.
I felt it on my first visit as well and on the next and the next. As you walk through, hearing, seeing, feeling all the stories from that day, you find the one thing that strikes you. Maybe there is a picture that really grabs you. Maybe the story about the shoes, the guy who walked in and gave shoes to help with those who lost their own, then walked out bare-footed. Or the stories of the children, perfectly innocent, suddenly taken with no warning. Or yours may be the one about the nurse, who came back in and back again, helping, until she was overcome herself and died. Mine was the bloodline. Having never been one with the courage to give blood, I read a story that tells of the people who waited in line for up to 8 hours to give blood. These Okies. I've done a little wandering during my life and as I approach my 7th year in this place, I wonder about many things. What I have learned about these people that seems to be very different than others I have known. They are a friendly lot. Can't say I've met people who seem so accepting, en masse, than I've met here. Seems everyday, I see someone with a t-shirt concerning giving blood and even where I work has the Oklahoma Blood Center in about every 45 days. Nobody says anything to me. It's just something they do. They don't expect anything from newcomers, I've not heard once, "You're not from here are you?" Heard that almost daily from somewhere else I spent a couple of years. These cowboys and ranchers and the like, who love their country music, who seem to produce more than their share of famous people can seem a bit judgemental. When you read the papers, you see the firm, hardcase, conservative line of the majority, but you won't see it anywhere else. When someone, anyone needs something, they are there. For each other and for you. They may not care for the black leather or the tattoos or the long whiskers, but they will never say anything and it won't stop them from doing their best to help out. I've often wondered why I am here. I'm not likely to ever leave, but I wonder why they let me stay. It's not like I fit in.
What was he thinking? That day when he took his rented moving truck and parked in front of that federal building in Oklahoma City. He couldn't have realized that you can't blow something apart that holds so tightly together. Sure the building went down and many lost their lives, but that spirit, the spirit that brought so many out here barely a hundred years ago, very much lives in the heart of the home that I now, proudly, call my own.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Not another birthday!
Here's another memory, sorry if they all seem sad, but it's how they come to me.
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Remember sitting on the couch..........hot day..... humid...... sweaty....... dirty...... tired. She sits down on the arm of the couch, drapes her legs across me, pop....shshshshsh, opens the cold one, takes a sip and hands it to me. Ahhhhh, good, real good. Then the click of the bic and the long slow draw off a round one. The smoke hits my nostrils, and it becomes a moment that I have never forgotten.
She really pulled a "boner" once, more than once, but this one is classic. Proved maybe she trusted me too much. haha Went to the house to help her brother build a fence for the dog. Not so bad except she bought the case of beer before we started. She goes to work and so did we, on that beer. She comes home from work and we haven't started the fence and the beer is gone and we are on the couch watching tv. Not good. Next day she tries again, are you kiddin' me? haha Same result, except some of the holes are there for the fence posts, hmmm, progress. Saturday comes and with her supervision, kind of a half-a.. fence is put up for a large german shepherd, who promply pushes it almost to the ground and hops over. He, of course, thinks he did something cool and jumps around like a pup, laughing and making fun of us. She still always thought highly of me, it seemed. Always treated me very well.
Showed up once, had a habit of that. She spoiled me for others, because it became a habit. I never called or whatever, just showed up. Anytime, day or night, she never said anything about it. If it was a bad time, she told me and I'd come back another time. But this time, the dog had been shot, reason for the fence. I just walked up and she was running around, frantically. Someone had been spooked by the big dog and shot him. I just grabbed him up and put him in the car and off we went to the local vets office. After the treatment and things had settled, except for the ill will against the shooter, she told me something I've only heard on that occasion, she said "you know you are always there for me when I need you". Better'n money in the bank.
I can't forget the Christmas party either. Sorry, but back then we spent a great deal of our lives involved with alcohol and ........whatever..... But this party was really something. We had all drawn names and bought ...........uhh......paraphernalia. As your name was called, you gave your gift and everyone .....tried it out. From that point of view, it was great fun. Wouldn't .....couldn't do that these days, but early 20's and bulletproof, was fun. It was the only time I ever showed anyone the "water trick" my dad had taught me years ago. I won't describe it, because I may get the opportunity to do it again some time, haha. It was great fun, no doubt.
We went to a concert together once. I went and had special t-shirts printed for the event. Hers said "BITCH BITCH BITCH" and mine said "Quitcherbitchin' ". The concert was fantastic, one of the finest shows I've ever seen. And afterwards, when I took her home.........was the first time......well.......thought seriously about it.......but we never did.
I can't imagine, as close as we were. The time we spent together. Never did.
She was always involved in things were you could be injured and did make the hospital more than a couple of times back then. I always showed up, hell bent, get out of my way, I'm here to see my friend, not you. Didn't matter who. Ha, went on a motorcycle trip once, fell asleep, fell off, damn.
But the last time.........I didn't make it. Maybe something inside told me, it was the last time. Maybe I thought........it would be ok. I was going to go on Saturday. No reason.
I miss you my friend, here with all my memories. That part of my heart is and will always be.....yours.
Happy Birthday!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember sitting on the couch..........hot day..... humid...... sweaty....... dirty...... tired. She sits down on the arm of the couch, drapes her legs across me, pop....shshshshsh, opens the cold one, takes a sip and hands it to me. Ahhhhh, good, real good. Then the click of the bic and the long slow draw off a round one. The smoke hits my nostrils, and it becomes a moment that I have never forgotten.
She really pulled a "boner" once, more than once, but this one is classic. Proved maybe she trusted me too much. haha Went to the house to help her brother build a fence for the dog. Not so bad except she bought the case of beer before we started. She goes to work and so did we, on that beer. She comes home from work and we haven't started the fence and the beer is gone and we are on the couch watching tv. Not good. Next day she tries again, are you kiddin' me? haha Same result, except some of the holes are there for the fence posts, hmmm, progress. Saturday comes and with her supervision, kind of a half-a.. fence is put up for a large german shepherd, who promply pushes it almost to the ground and hops over. He, of course, thinks he did something cool and jumps around like a pup, laughing and making fun of us. She still always thought highly of me, it seemed. Always treated me very well.
Showed up once, had a habit of that. She spoiled me for others, because it became a habit. I never called or whatever, just showed up. Anytime, day or night, she never said anything about it. If it was a bad time, she told me and I'd come back another time. But this time, the dog had been shot, reason for the fence. I just walked up and she was running around, frantically. Someone had been spooked by the big dog and shot him. I just grabbed him up and put him in the car and off we went to the local vets office. After the treatment and things had settled, except for the ill will against the shooter, she told me something I've only heard on that occasion, she said "you know you are always there for me when I need you". Better'n money in the bank.
I can't forget the Christmas party either. Sorry, but back then we spent a great deal of our lives involved with alcohol and ........whatever..... But this party was really something. We had all drawn names and bought ...........uhh......paraphernalia. As your name was called, you gave your gift and everyone .....tried it out. From that point of view, it was great fun. Wouldn't .....couldn't do that these days, but early 20's and bulletproof, was fun. It was the only time I ever showed anyone the "water trick" my dad had taught me years ago. I won't describe it, because I may get the opportunity to do it again some time, haha. It was great fun, no doubt.
We went to a concert together once. I went and had special t-shirts printed for the event. Hers said "BITCH BITCH BITCH" and mine said "Quitcherbitchin' ". The concert was fantastic, one of the finest shows I've ever seen. And afterwards, when I took her home.........was the first time......well.......thought seriously about it.......but we never did.
I can't imagine, as close as we were. The time we spent together. Never did.
She was always involved in things were you could be injured and did make the hospital more than a couple of times back then. I always showed up, hell bent, get out of my way, I'm here to see my friend, not you. Didn't matter who. Ha, went on a motorcycle trip once, fell asleep, fell off, damn.
But the last time.........I didn't make it. Maybe something inside told me, it was the last time. Maybe I thought........it would be ok. I was going to go on Saturday. No reason.
I miss you my friend, here with all my memories. That part of my heart is and will always be.....yours.
Happy Birthday!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
For a Friend
Decided to do something nice for a friend, like......be one.
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Dear Friends and Family,
The National MS Society is gearing up for the annual 2010 Ardmore MS Walk. I am planning to be a part of that event and I am asking you to join me in the fight against MS by making a contribution to support my effort.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to ending the devastating effects of MS. They simultaneously fund research for a cure while also helping people who currently live with MS lead more fulfilling lives. I believe in the work they do, and I invite you to see for yourself all the good they've done for the MS community. More than 400,000 Americans live with MS, and your support can and will make changes in their lives.
Please help by making a donation - large or small - to fight MS. Or, why not join me on the day of the event? Become a participant and side by side, as teammates, we can work together to raise the funds to make a difference.
Whatever you can give will help! I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.
Sincerely,
Gary Manning
Click here to get to my personal page and make a secure, online donation.
To send a donation: Make all checks payable to: National MS SocietyMail to: National MS Society - Oklahoma Chapter, 4606 East 67th Street - #103, Tulsa, OK 74136
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends and Family,
The National MS Society is gearing up for the annual 2010 Ardmore MS Walk. I am planning to be a part of that event and I am asking you to join me in the fight against MS by making a contribution to support my effort.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to ending the devastating effects of MS. They simultaneously fund research for a cure while also helping people who currently live with MS lead more fulfilling lives. I believe in the work they do, and I invite you to see for yourself all the good they've done for the MS community. More than 400,000 Americans live with MS, and your support can and will make changes in their lives.
Please help by making a donation - large or small - to fight MS. Or, why not join me on the day of the event? Become a participant and side by side, as teammates, we can work together to raise the funds to make a difference.
Whatever you can give will help! I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.
Sincerely,
Gary Manning
Click here to get to my personal page and make a secure, online donation.
To send a donation: Make all checks payable to: National MS SocietyMail to: National MS Society - Oklahoma Chapter, 4606 East 67th Street - #103, Tulsa, OK 74136
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