Authentic Hannibalian

Hannibal MO is the boyhood home of both Mark Twain and myself. We were both very popular fellows I might add. Although I lived in America's Hometown for a full decade and was assigned Twain's famous literary works as required reading in school, I never actually read "Tom Sawyer"or "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Some stories from "Tom Sawyer" soaked into my head over the years through osmosis (one can't live in Hannibal and not be bombarded with such stories) or by skimming Cliff's Notes, but I never really read either of the celebrated novels penned by Hannibal's favorite son. Now, that has all changed. I, Travis Naughton, have read both "Tom Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn" in 2006. I just finished Huck Finn today. Sure it took me 35 years, but I did it. And you know what? I enjoyed them both thoroughly. Now I can finally understand what all the fuss is about.

Twain would cringe at the commercialism that the popularity of his books has spawned in today's Hannibal, but he would also probably find a lot of humor in it. The "Tom and Huck Motel" is one of the best examples. Huck Finn would have hated staying in a motel. He preferred sleeping under the stars in an empty hogshead or on a raft floating down the river. The motel is owned by a family from India. Move over "Injun Joe" and make room for "Indian Patel." I guess that's the beauty of Twain's writing- it transcends time, distances, and cultural differences. Hell, there's even a Tom Saywer Land amusement park in Japan.

The thing that struck me most when reading the books was the similarities between Tom and Huck's childhood and my own. Even in the 1980's, boys in Hannibal had a lot of the same adventures that they did in Twain's day. What boy doesn't pretend to be a pirate once in a while? What boy never played Cowboys and Indians? What boy didn't try to impress his Becky Thatcher by doing something completely obnoxoius to get her attention? What boy could sit through a church sermon without squirming a little now and then? What boy in Hannibal didn't venture down to the river and dream of floating away on a raft or boat in search of adventure? What boy didn't explore caves half-expecting to run into Injun Joe? What boy didn't laze away hot summer days fishin' and swimmin' with his friends? In the past 150 years, being a kid in Hannibal hasn't changed a whole lot. I think that's a good thing. When I got older, all I wanted was to leave Hannibal because I thought it was boring. But when I was a kid it sure was a fun place to live. And in my mind it will always be that same innocent little town- thanks in no small part to Mark Twain.

Speaking of reading- Alex is now able to read several books. He even reads to his classmates once in a while. He's pretty proud of himself and we're pretty proud of him, too. There's hope for him yet. Even Huckleberry Finn learnt ta read 'n' write on account a' the Widder Douglass and Miss Watson- 'spite how it made him a might bit uncomfterble and figgitey at times. I 'spect its good fer a body to do some readin' now and then. I mightn not wait another 35 yearn to give it another try I reckon. I happend ta git aholt a' copy a' "Life on the Mississippi" by that Twain feller. I might give 'er a look with my young 'un, by and by.