Don’t be Alarmed, this is (Almost) Normal in Montana

“Normal,” in terms of human behavior, is something of a moving target.  Shrinking heads, for example, might be considered normal behavior in Papau New Guinea, but likely will not fly well in, say, Wales.  Although it must be quantified that in certain pubs in Wrexham, Wales, particularly after a brutal soccer match, most anything goes.

It is also notable that here within the U.S.A. subtle to striking differences in what one considers normal might be found from state to state.  In Hawaii, eating Spam is quite acceptable; while in Iowa they are still trying to determine what, exactly, Spam is.

Is it some kind of meat?  Or is Spam, as some in nearby Kansas suggest, a jiggly byproduct of the rubber-making process.

In more general terms, anything goes in California, while in North Dakota nothing goes.

Here in Montana, we tend to accept somewhat quirky behavior.  We feel that any human behavior is acceptable providing it does not frighten cattle or make the temperature in trout streams rise to harmful levels.

Frankly, I could go on for days telling you stories of what I have found people here in Montana doing.  As illustration, there was that time—while driving our shop truck back to Helena from the Hi-Line—when my co-worker engaged in a kind of drag race with the official Oscar Meyer Wienermobile in I-15.

You might be surprised as how well the Wienermobile cranks in the quarter-mile.         

The other day I saw something interesting.  When I took a couple steps up to the porch deck of a friend’s house, I found a bison’s head in a tub sitting there.  I suppose that might be a bit frightening in some places, but I simply grabbed my smarter-than-me-phone and captured an image.

Just so you know, I didn’t ask my friend a lot of questions.  And the nearby cattle didn’t seemed alarmed in the least.

--Mitchell Hegman