LIVE Magazine Vol 6 #156 May 3, 2013

30
A A Love Letter To My Home Town…
Hooker, Hooker, Oklahoma. This This could be be any town, your town.
-
-
ighteen
ighteen
years
years
I spent
I spent
with
with
you.
you.
And
And
then,
then,
just
just
like
like
that,
that,
I
I
left
left
you.
you.
I suppose this has been a long time coming. Looking back, it must have seemed
I suppose this has been a long time coming. Looking back, it must have seemed
abrupt. 18 years we spent together, then I up and left with no explanation. I probably
abrupt. 18 years we spent together, then I up and left with no explanation. I probably
owed you more than that. So I’ll try my best to explain it to you now.
owed you more than that. So I’ll try my best to explain it to you now.
We were perfect together at first. As a boy, I couldn’t have asked for a better playmate. Your ditches
We were perfect together at first. As a boy, I couldn’t have asked for a better playmate. Your ditches
and trees, your railroad tracks, and run-down grain elevators. You could have injured me a dozen
and trees,
times,
your
at least.
railroad
I seemed
tracks,
to be
and
asking
run-down
for it.
grain
I was
elevators.
rough on you,
You
but
could
you
have
gave
injured
as well as
me
you
a dozen
got. My
times, blood at least. in your I seemed dirt, your to be splinters asking under for it. my I was skin. rough This on is how you, we but did you it, becoming gave as well more as you and got. more My of
blood one in another your dirt, every your single splinters day. under my skin. This is how we did it, becoming more and more of
one another every single day.
I wore blue and white, but those weren’t your only colors. You were orange and yellow and red, your
I wore trees blue alight and with white, fire but every those autumn. weren’t You your were only the colors. cool blue You of were Optima orange Lake, and the yellow sun’s setting and red, rays your
trees drawn alight across with fire its every waves. autumn. You were You black, were a night the cool sky as blue big of as Optima my imagination Lake, the filled sun’s with setting stars. rays
drawn You across were its everything waves. You to me. were My black, home a and night my sky school. as big All as of my my imagination very first firsts. filled It with was perfect stars. while
You it were lasted. everything I wish I to could me. tell My you home when and things my school. changed. All That of my I could very point first firsts. to one It moment. was perfect Maybe while it
it lasted. was something I wish I could I saw tell on you television: when things a bionic changed. man, a talking That I car. could Maybe point it to was one the moment. books, one Maybe of the it
was something stories that I seemed saw on so television: wild and strange a bionic and man, far a beyond talking anything car. Maybe I could it was ever the imagine books, happening one of the
stories while that surrounded seemed so by wild the and assuredness strange and of you far and beyond wheat anything fields as I far could as the ever eye imagine could see. happening
while surrounded by the assuredness of you and wheat fields as far as the eye could see.
That might be part of it. I knew, as sure as I knew anything, which you were never going to change.
You were strong, and set in the ways that worked for you. But I slowly began to realize they wouldn’t
That might be part of it. I knew, as sure as I knew anything, which you were never going to change.
work for me. I can’t actually think of a time beyond childhood when I thought I was going to stay.
You were strong, and set in the ways that worked for you. But I slowly began to realize they wouldn’t
It’s strange. Ungrateful, I suppose. You were the only thing I knew and somehow you weren’t
work for me. I can’t actually think of a time beyond childhood when I thought I was going to stay.
enough. But my interests and ambitions grew. Far beyond the reach of even the Oklahoma
It’s strange. Ungrateful, I suppose. You were the only thing I knew and somehow you weren’t
panhandle. And I suppose that changes a relationship forever.
enough. But my interests and ambitions grew. Far beyond the reach of even the Oklahoma
panhandle. And I suppose that changes a relationship forever.
“The question is, did I begin to stand out because I knew I was
“The going question to leave? is, did Or I did begin I know to stand I was out going because to leave I knew because I was I was
going beginning to leave? to stand Or did out?” I know You I see, was I’ve going never had to a problem leave being because from Hooker, I was
Oklahoma. I just had some difficulty being in Hooker, Oklahoma.
beginning to stand out?” You see, I’ve never had a problem being from Hooker,
Oklahoma. I just had some difficulty being in Hooker, Oklahoma.
Still, now, the places we knew together are like sweet music to me. Just the names bring a flood of
memories: Main Street Drag, Ideal Grocery Store, Otasco, The Hooker Hardware store, Audrey’s,
Still, The now, RX the Drugstore places we and knew old-fashioned together are soda like fountain. sweet music And to then me. the Just places the that names had bring no real a flood title: the of
memories: rope swing Main on Street the north Drag, end Ideal of Grocery town, the Store, far baseball Otasco, diamond, The Hooker the attic Hardware of my best store, friend’s Audrey’s, house
The RX (which Drugstore at the time and was old-fashioned the old converted soda fountain. Museum and And Zoo then (yes, the Hooker places that had had a zoo), no and, real title: of course, the
rope the swing few on square the north feet of end my of bedroom. town, the I papered far baseball those diamond, trailer house the walls attic with of my dreams. best friend’s I sought house your
(which
best
at
places
the time
and
was
poured
the old
endless
converted
meaning
Museum
into some
and
of
Zoo
your
(yes,
most
Hooker
ordinary
had
corners.
a zoo),
I did
and,
all
of
of
course,
this,
day after day, for nearly 10 years. And then, one day, it was time to go.
the few square feet of my bedroom. I papered those trailer house walls with dreams. I sought your
best places and poured endless meaning into some of your most ordinary corners. I did all of this,
You probably didn’t see it, because my back was to you as I drove, but I cried when I left. I cried
day after day, for nearly 10 years. And then, one day, it was time to go.
because I missed you already. I cried because I’d never been away from you for longer than two
weeks. I cried because I was afraid. Because if I wasn’t a Hookerite any more, then what was I?
You probably didn’t see it, because my back was to you as I drove, but I cried when I left. I cried
The other day someone emailed me and said, “I’ll be coming to your city next week.” And I thought,
because
“I wonder
I missed
why
you
he’s
already.
going to
I cried
Hooker?”
because
He
I’d
wasn’t.
never
He
been
was
away
coming
from
to Los
you
Angeles.
for longer
But
than
I still,
two
in my
weeks. mind, I cried I think because of you I was as “my afraid. city.” Because I only hope if I wasn’t you still a Hookerite think of me any as one more, of your then sons. what was I?
The other I have day former someone classmates, emailed friends, me and and said, wonderful “I’ll be memories coming to all your living city in and next around week.” you. And I I have thought,
“I wonder pieces why of me he’s scattered going all to Hooker?” across Hooker. He wasn’t. And I have He was the coming best parts to of Los Hooker Angeles. locked But here I still, in my in my
mind, heart. I think I like of you to think as “my that city.” on a cold I only night hope when you the still air think smells of like me wood as one smoke, of your bonfires sons. and small
I have town former football, classmates, you miss friends, me a little, and too. wonderful I like to memories think that all when living I come in and home, around you’re you. as happy I have to see
pieces me of as me I am scattered you. And all that across the Hooker. few days And we might I have get the to best spend parts together of Hooker are like locked a gift, a here time in machine. my
heart. Proof I like that to old think friends that on never a cold fade. night That’s when what the I like air smells to think. like wood smoke, bonfires and small
town football, you miss me a little, too. I like to think that when I come home, you’re as happy to see
me as Forever I am you. yours, And that John the few Johnson days we might (Hooker get to High spend together School are - Class like a gift, of a 1982) time machine.
Proof that old friends never fade. That’s what I like to think.
May 3, 3, 2013 2013 Vol6 Vol6 Issue#156
The Author
John Johnson
From Oprah Winfrey to top global brands, John
Johnson From Oprah shares Winfrey his unique to top point global of view brands, of life, John
love Johnson and relationships shares his unique on LA point Talk Radio’s of view Hit of life,
Show love and LIVE relationships Today!! on LA Talk Radio’s Hit
Show LIVE Today!!
In the days of Google and Social Media, a search
on In the John days Johnson of Google reveals and interesting Social Media, details a of search a
man, on John who Johnson for over reveals 20 years, interesting has been details working of a
behind-the-scenes man, who for over for 20 some years, of the has world’s been working most
endeared behind-the-scenes famous and for some powerful of the people world’s and most
companies endeared famous including and Oprah powerful Winfrey, people Steven and
Spielberg,
companies
Calvin
including
Klein,
Oprah
Prada,
Winfrey,
Gucci, Louis
Steven
Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Harley-Davidson and
Spielberg, Calvin Klein, Prada, Gucci, Louis
many other top designers and luxury brands. John
Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Harley-Davidson and
serves on advisory boards for 3 U.S. universities, 2
many other top designers and luxury brands. John
Fortune 500 companies and was awarded the
serves on advisory boards for 3 U.S. universities, 2
‘Apparel Leadership Award’ by Apparel Magazine
for
Fortune
outstanding
500 companies
contributions
and
to fashion.
was awarded
He also
the
has
‘Apparel
been recognized
Leadership
with
Award’
awards
by
for
Apparel
excellence
Magazine
in
film for outstanding & television, fashion contributions and education to fashion. including He also
awards has been by recognized Oprah Winfrey, with Kohl’s, awards Lord for excellence & Taylor, in
Macy’s, film & television, Zara and Siemens. fashion and In 2010 education John received including
the awards Outstanding by Oprah Honorary Winfrey, Kohl’s, Alumni Lord of the & Year Taylor,
award Macy’s, from Zara Oklahoma and Siemens. State University In 2010 John and received was
also the Outstanding honored by Honorary the President Alumni of of Auburn the Year
University. award from John Oklahoma can be heard State weekly University on LA and Talk was
Radio’s also honored new show by as the host President of, “ of Auburn
University. John can be heard weekly on LA .” Talk
(http://www.latalkradio.com/Today.php Radio’s new show as the host of, “ every
Monday, 4-5 pm pst). John is also a nationally .”
syndicated (http://www.latalkradio.com/Today.php columnist with his inspirational series, every
“Firefly:
Monday,
Igniting
4-5 pm
the
pst).
Soul”
John
based
is
on
also
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a
hit
nationally
radio
show.
syndicated columnist with his inspirational series,
“Firefly: Igniting the Soul” based on his hit radio
Latest Work
show.
Catch John Johnson every Monday at 4pm PST for
his hit talk show on LA Talk Radio, “LIVE Today
Latest Work
with John Johnson & Friends” with his co-hosts
Dr. Catch Estella John Johnson Sneider every (break-out Monday star at from 4pm PST The for
Housewives his hit talk show of Beverly on LA Hills Talk & Radio, mother-in-law “LIVE Today to
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winning Dr. Estella humanitarian Sneider (break-out and best-selling star from author, The
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John Kyle also Richards) has just and been George cast in Newberry a major motion (award-
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For executive more of producer John Johnson’s for a thoughts new reality or to TV share show
your based “life on Socialites strategies in for America. becoming FEARLESS”
visit “The John Johnson Official Fan Page” on
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For more of John Johnson’s thoughts or to share
your “life strategies for becoming FEARLESS”
visit “The John Johnson Official Fan Page” on
Facebook. Follow John on Twitter