My father and I share the same name. So, as a child, my parents saw fit to stick me with a nickname to avoid confusion. They selected “Okie” because I was born in Oklahoma and, I assume, they were fans of the Merle Haggard song and/or album “Okie from Muskogee.” It was apparently really big the year before I was born.
Okie from Muskogee (song) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
All was good until I was older, around 10 or 11 yrs old, and “Okie” began sounding too cutesy. It was difficult, I imagine, for a parent to yell, in an angry, corrective tone of voice, and maintain a straight face. So, from that point on, I was known simply as “Oke.” Continue reading
Soundtrack of Me 