Sulphur, Oklahoma

Welcome to Sulphur, Oklahoma, y’all. It is a small town that I could barely find on the map seven years ago. Now, I consider it home because of the unique memories the place generated. My dad found a job there and on July 1996, the family packed up to start a new life. It was tough for each one of us who were used to living in a big California city. At first, I hated the humidity, the slow pace, the inconvenience of one grocery store, and how the town basically shuts down at 7 p.m. Living here has opened my eyes. I’m not here to sell you my town. It’s priceless to me.

Looking for Starbucks, shopping mall, or a movie theatre? You can find all of those and more after driving at least half an hour. That was one of the hard things to get used to. Progress moves slowly, but surely. We were the third Asian family in town. After two years, another family opened the first Chinese restaurant. Another year later, we welcomed the only Mexican restaurant. There’s a small hospital which everyone tries to avoid, but no one seems to want to improve. Stop signs are countless, but we only have traffic lights for one intersection. I guess you can say we have the bare essentials. We have one ice cream shop, bowling place, veterinary, plant nursery, chiropractor, travel agency, and antique store. Our other choices are limited to two of these: dentists, medical doctors, car washes, video rentals, and auto shops. What we have plenty of are churches, banks and gas stations.

I love this town because of the experiences my family went through. I doubt that we would have them if we stayed in a big city. The first house we rented had a cow pasture next door. I woke up by hearing cows mooing in the morning. Our yard was so large that it took four hours to mow. I graduated with honors from the only high school. Recently, my parents were able to afford our first home (away from the cows). My brother found the love of his life here, and now has two adorable boys. My first nephew was born on the day of a big tornado in 1999. I adopted my very first cat from a shelter. We survived an ice storm that left us without electricity and water for a week. I even got my driver’s license on the first try.

Sulphur’s pride and joy would be the Chickasaw National Recreational Area. It is a huge park that covers several miles. Along with great walking trails, campgrounds, and lake, it has natural springs scattered around the area. The springs are not only beautiful, but they also have medicinal components. In October, the community supports “Art in the Park” where good food, entertainment, and art come together. December brings Christmas lights and decorations into the natural setting. Volunteers dress in vintage clothing to tell the history of the city to visitors walking the candle-lit paths.

We take yearly family vacations all over the country. We come across large, buzzing cities and we feel overwhelmed. I don’t mind the change of scenery, but soon I long for home. My town is my haven where I can get away from the traffic, rush, noise, and impolite people. To come home and see my cat sitting on the windowsill puts a smile on my face. I’m enjoying the simple life. My town may not have gourmet coffee, but the charm of this small blink-and-you-missed-it place makes up for it.

Irene C

Submitted: Wednesday 11th February 2004, 8:53 PM

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