Junebugs and Such...

Well, my word. The June bugs hitting my window just now sound like rain pounding the glass. I always try to think what purpose in life this creature or that one has. I'm not sure about the June bug. To morph from a grub and then die?

I decided to Wiki it, and didn't get a satisfactory answer, but I learned that there is a Junebug, Oklahoma. OK, it's a fictional place, but how fun would that be, to be able to say, "I'm from Junebug, Okahoma!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junebug,_Oklahoma

I did go to my hometown of Pryor Creek, Oklahoma this weekend. I took two daughters and a daughter's boyfriend with me. These kids have no clue about small town life. One of them remarked, after Sunday service in the church that I grew up in, "Mom, everyone there knew you!" Not true - only those aged 45+ knew me. And that's a nice thing, "going home". It's happy (because I had a happy childhood), full of memories on every street and street corner (when, as a kid, one walks or rides a bike everywhere, memories are made at every bend in the road), and, in my case, full of family to see.

One thing I noticed that I am not sure I like. When did people in Pryor Creek start calling people by their first names? I don't mean like "Bill", or "Jean". I heard references to "Mr. Tommy" and such. WHO IS MR. TOMMY?! It took me a while to figure out that this town has changed their way of addressing people.

Yes, yes, back in my day, every adult had an easy name, and it was either Mr. {insert last name here.} or Mrs. {insert last name here.} No variation on the theme, no nicknames, no first names, no nothing. Mr. and Mrs. It was all so simple. Even now, if someone asks me if I know Mr. Thompson's first name, usually I can only reply "Mr." We kids weren't really privvy to adults' first names. And that was fine. I don't know who could come up with the idea to address people as Mr. Paul or Miss Trish. Nosirree, that does not work in my books. If you know us well enough to call us by our first names, then do so! If not, use Mr. & Mrs. Armstrong. Simple.

A nice thing at my hometown church this weekend was when Mr. Avra mentioned Bill and Jean Moss as a couple who have been very positive Christian role models in his life. (I am paraphrasing what Mr. Avra said.) And I am wholeheartedly in agreement about the Mosses being role models. Bill was the pastor of the Pryor Frist United Methodist Church when I was a kid. Kind, happy, friendly, and easy to talk to, he was. Jean, his wife, was vivacious and cheerful whenever I saw her. I love them both. Bill and Jean. Not Pr. and Mrs. But the respect is there, as much as I say Mr. Avra. Or Mr. Thompson. Or the myriad of other Mr.'s and Mrs.'s that I got to visit with in Pryor Creek this weekend.