Reyes Garcia III - my Hero at the Mineral Wells Post Office

I had written back on Saturday (1/2/09) when I was leaving Lake Mineral Wells State Park that I was planning on dropping some stuff off at the Mineral Wells Post Office and having it forwarded to the Muleshoe Tx Post Office - a lot of stuff - all my camping gear - sleeping bag, sleeping mat, tarp, camping gear - probably 10 - 12# of stuff.

I had realized there was no way I was gonna be able to drag myself and all the gear I was currently carrying over hill and dale between LMWSP and Muleshoe averaging 60 miles per day... and I didn't need to ..... cause I didn't need the stuff cause I was gonna be staying in motels along the way.

I just had to get it to the Mineral Wells Post Office to mail by 12 noon....seems simple right?

Well I was doing all right that morning on time but I got into several wonderful conversations with folks and the time slipped away and I didn't leave LMWSP until 11:30 am - so what do I do - I panic - I realize I'm not going to make it to the post office and I'm pedaling like a mad man to get to the post office and I'm calling my wife to call ahead to the post office and tell 'em I'm on my way and not to close up.

Can't get ahold of my wife.... call my daughter to get ahold of my wife.... she can't hear me cause I'm flying up and down hills with the wind blowing 20 mph and I'm using my Bluetooth ear piece and that don't work so good in high winds.

So in the dust and confusion, my daughter thinks I'm dying on the side of the road.... my wife calls me back 10 minutes later.... says she's been in the shower and left her phone upstairs.

I tell her go to a tattoo parlor and have them tattoo a piece of Velcro to her ass (Part 1) and then go to Hobby Lobby and get some of that Velcro that's got the sticky on one side and stick that to her cell phone (Part 2) and then combine Parts 1 and 2..... that little suggestion goes over like a lead balloon..... she's been pissed at me ever since.

So's anyway, being the good and faithful wife that she is..... she calls the Mineral Wells Post Office... it's about 11:50 am by now.....and they don't answer.... not a good sign!

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I am pedaling like a Banshee - I mean I'm giving it all she's got Scotty! My thighs are burning, my heart is at max + 30, my veins are popping out and my eyes are bulging, cause I ain't carrying all that stuff 60 miles and I ain't staying in Mineral Wells another day.

I know all this sounds stupid but you just don't understand how hard it is to carry an extra pound of stuff up and down 5 - 7 % grades on a bicycle for 6 - 7 hours.....much less 12 - 15 lbs of stuff.

Long story longer, I get to the Post Office at 12:10.... and it's closed.

Ever seen a 47-year old man cry?

I go into the post office part where you can access your post office boxes and look around the pulled curtains behind the locked doors separating where I am from where I should have been 10 minutes ago..... and I see this guy at the counter.

Hope.... there's always hope.....

I knock on the glass get this guy's attention and he holds up 1 finger.... no - not the middle finger - his index finger indicating "Hang on a minute."

At this point, I'm emerging from the Dungeons of Despair and I'm starting to climb the Slope of Hope.

I'm standing next to this bi-sectioned door - you know the kind that has a top half that opens separate from the bottom half - one of those service doors.

Well, the top half opens and I see the face of an angel - well maybe not the face of an angel but that's the way I viewed it at the time - and that angel's name was Reyes Garcia III.

I breathlessly explain my situation - yeah breathlessly - I'm still blowed up from that 6-mile sprint from LMWSP - and Reyes looks at me and calmly says "How big a box you need?"

How big a box do I need? Holy Mackerel - this guy's gonna help me. I've gone from the Slope of Hope to dancing a jig on Cloud 9.

Like I said - Long Story Longer - I met Reyes Garcia III and talked with him a total of probably 2 minutes - and he got me out of a huge bind.

I boxed the stuff up, taped it up, labeled it and handed it to Reyes with some money for the box, postage and his time.

This is the 2nd time a Post Office worker has saved me from my own poor planning.....

Thanks Reyes Garcia III.