Downtown Lights

Langston has become like another home to me. It provides food, the location is easy to remember, and it has people that I feel comfortable around. Yet, my heart will always have a deep love for the city that I was born and raised in. Oklahoma City is a city I am proud to call home. Now that I am distant from home, every weekend trip to return home is always filled with emotions. Last weekend even, was an exciting time for me, because not only was I able to go see a movie I have been looking forward to since the middle of high school. In addition, I was going to be with a group of friends that I truly could be myself around and did not feel ashamed to act like an imbecile in front of. Even though they were all girls, I still enjoyed being around them; especially the one that I thought was attractive. Everything turned out great, we saw an entertaining movie, walked and talked, and just enjoyed being in each others presence.

In order to watch this movie, we had to go the downtown area of Oklahoma City, where it’s illuminated as if its Christmas all year round. I was the first one to arrive at the theater because I have a set way of showing up at least ten minutes to any show or event I attend. After fifteen minutes of listening to the water fountain behind me, and watching couples stole by with their hands in a grip death match-the girls finally arrived. All we had to do is look around and we could tell who was seeing the same movie as us. There were people with capes, jackets, even cosplayers were all dressed up to show there love for the movie. Getting to our seats was a quick process since only one girl got popcorn and a drink. After finding our seats and an additional ten minutes of expressing how we have been over the past few weeks, it was time for the show to begin. Since this was not a typical Hollywood produced movie, there was no previews which was a nice change of pace. Immediately, characters and action scenes began filling the screen and portraying a story that was true to our hearts. Not a single noise arose in that theater.

It was a relatively short movie though, but it satisfied the audience’s needs. Everyone got up and burst towards the clearly marked exist doors to regroup with their friends and compare their criticism on the movie. I would be a liar if I said we did not do the same. But with us, it is different, we can not go more than two minutes without out one of us making a joke or doing something odd and silly to get a good laugh in. Every time I laughed, I remembered just how much I do miss the city and all my friends who still reside there. After being one of the last groups from the theaters to exit, we knew we didn’t want to depart, so we decided to walk around downtown and just talk. I mean it was free, good exercise, sightseeing, and memorable all in one so I could not complain. We did have to stop by a Sonic, because Jennifer decided she was hungry after debating on whether or not to get popcorn before the movie started. I am not one to turn down a Sonic milkshake either. After we all got our desired foods and beverages, the night really began. We crossed roads like we owned them, walked as if we knew the area like the back of hands-which we basically did- and just laughed until most of us were on the verge of tears.

“I still think your professor should be more worried about your thumb randomly twitching,” Jennifer told Lisa as we were sitting by the river.

“No, I think it will be fine after I just go home, binge watch some TV and put ice on it,” replied Lisa.

“But what if it is more serious than you think?” questioned Jennifer, “You are going to be playing the violin your entire life and you don’t want to risk it all on just watching Sherlock all night, do you?”

“But I am almost done with the first season,” Lisa said with a twinkle in her eye.

“But still, Lisa it’s your thumb, basically your life.” “Yeah I know, maybe when Monday comes around I’ll have a reason to skip my math class.”

Yes, this was one of the silly and random conversations we brought up in an instant and then spent hours discussing. While Lisa and Jennifer talked, I sat and had a small conversation with the other girl in the group, Nhu. None of these girls are considered popular, actually many see them as the valedictorians of our high school, because they were. That’s why I enjoy being around them because they don’t care about looks or how cool someone has to be out in public. Nhu and I actually have known each other for over five years. Every time we hang out it is really interesting how we can be at the mall for six hours and not buy a single thing or go see a movie, we just talk. But anyway, her and I just sat there talking about how in a videogame we used to play during the summers, I was always the second best too Jennifer, and that it was my dream to one day surpass her skill’s. That dream is still a work in progress. Nhu just sat there and laughed at me as I made a fool out of my self while Jennifer and Lisa would chime in every now and then. Eventually time seemed eternal and that we were going to ride it as far as possible. Until it was midnight and the ice cream store was closing, and we did not want to be those people who stayed even after a place was closed. So we took our time getting back to our car’s which glittered in the naked parking lot. Then we stood around several more minutes until eventually Lisa decided to she wanted to get to bed at a decent time. Considering she still had to drive the other two home and had an eight o’clock class the next morning. I said my goodbye’s to the girls and for someone reason which I can not explain. I only gave Nhu a hug.

That night was memorable, and all we did was watch a movie, adventured into downtown and laughed until we were stumbling trying to catch our breath’s. Perhaps that is why I miss the city so much, because of how much fun I could have down there with so little effort. There is a plethora of memories the city holds deep in my heart. It truly is apart of who I am. As long as I remember that home is a place where someone is wanted by others, then I will never forget that Oklahoma City is my home.