I agree for the most part with you guys on the differences between the Oelwein I knew and the one described in this book. You can chalk that up to a lot of things you both mentioned including blissful lack of awareness, selective memory, and good parenting. But I think it can also get chalked up to the timing of events. I believe (Marc can you verify on snopes please) a lot of the “dark days” discussed in the book transpired after all of us were graduated. And as you mentioned Marc and it is true of all of us, we left and didn’t go back. We haven’t spent anything more than a weekend in Oelwein in 15ish, 20ish, and 25ish years respectively. It’s akin to Dad being amazed by how much San Diego changed in 40 years. The Oelwein we knew has changed in the significant period of time since we were last there. My curiosity is if Mom and Dad were aware of these changes/events. And if they were, did they continue to shield their sons from that side of Oelwein or was there some other reason it was never discussed?
2 final notes…yes, I did just compare our recollection of Oelwein to Dad’s of San Diego, YIKES. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree does it boys.
Second, police officers burning pot? What the heck are you talking about Marc?!?!?! The first time I smelled pot (and didn’t know what it was, leading to an embarrassing social situation) was my sophomore year in college at a party watching a Mike Tyson pay per view fight.
One more thing…I’m still trying to figure out how to part my hair to make Sheila think I’m cool.
Marc, I'm with Brad on the "smelling pot" recollection ... what are you talking about? And Brad, you are correct in saying that most of the books events post date our living in Oelwein. But that does beg the question of whether Mom and Dad, Jeff and Noelle, Gene and Florence, or any of the others we know living in Oelwein knew of any of this activity, and if so why didn't it come up in conversation?
ReplyDeleteIf I may... I think the Methland mentality existed before the book - but it was before the scourge of Meth. In the early 1990's it was a big deal to have a marijuana arrest in Oelwein. That was the drug of choice during that time. As far as Methland is concerned I cannot and will not accept the socio-economical aspects as to the meth epidemic as suggested by the author. Drug use/abuse is a personal choice issue. There are people that were worse off financially than those that turned to drugs. The fact is that "Roland Jarvis" came from a long line of anti-establishment & anti-society, if you will, family. Prior to meth it was marijuana and alcohol. We were in fact shielded from it. We weren't allowed to hang out in the Hawk's Nest, Cal's Tap or Nick's Pizza and Pool Parlor.
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