I suppose practically everyone in the area has his or her own story about the earthquake. I’ve heard it described every way, ranging from squirrels on the roof to a mama thinking it was her big boy stomping through the house.

It was quite a surprise, at least to those of us who haven’t experienced an earthquake. The Saturday night tremor - make that a quake - hit about the time or shortly after the Razorbacks stirred up a rumble in Razorback stadium when they defeated South Carolina.

That, coupled with the Oklahoma Sooners walloping Texas A & M and the OSU Cowboys holding off Kansas State at about the same time, surely was enough to make the earth shake in the Oklahoma-Arkansas region.

Personally, when theloud whoosh sound first hit the area, I thought it must be a low flying aircraft or a strong wind, or a train that so often interrupts as it rumbles through town. I even thought it might be a problem with our outdoor furnace, about to blow up.

It’s amazing what goes through a person’s mind when confronted with an unexpected sound, jolt, rumble or jiggle.

The quake has been the conversation of about everyone since it occurred. A couple of people think they might have felt the one that happened about 2:15 Saturday morning.That 4.7 jolt was mild compared with the “big one” about 10:53 that night.

It did bring back memories of the tremblers that have occurred in Arkansas, even some in Benton County earlier this year,which were felt by quite a number of persons.

But Oklahoma has outdone herself. Not only is she the tornado center of the nearby-universe but now takes honors with an earthquake not far from that state’s capitol.

Friends from Del City, a town that is just a smidgen east of Oklahoma City, and not far from the “big one’s” epicenter, were in town over the weekend.

Jack and Linda Haynes, who had been visiting us shortly before the quake, were on the phone immediately with the question, “Did you feel it?” or something to that effect.They knew what it was immediately since their home in central Oklahoma jiggles from many smaller tremors.

Fortunately, I haven’t heard of any local damage so that’s enough about the quake. Let’s just say it’s enough quake to satisfy us for at least another 50 years.

Dodie Evans is the editor emeritus of the Westside Eagle Observer and may be contacted by e-mail at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 6 on 11/09/2011