Adventures to the Mailbox...this time with some words.

On campus, everyone has a PO Box.  The Post Office will not deliver any mail to a particular address, other than that listed as a PO Box at the Campus Post Office in the old YMCA Building next to the Student Union.  Yes, this is a bit annoying, but as you look down our street, mailboxes are nowhere to be seen.  And, adding a stopping and slowly moving mail truck to the campus traffic with the cell phone talking and easily distracted pedestrians, fearless (and sometimes cell phone talking) bike riders, and generally crazy colleg drivers, it would be a bit too much.

I enjoy going to our PO box because I can get out and walk around campus for a minute or two.  Before the semester began, Adam and I would jog down to the Drill Field then to the Post Office and pick up the mail.  Now that classes are in session, Adam no longer gets to go to the mailbox with me.  It is a bit of a bummer we don't go together, just because I enjoy doing any little thing I can when it's with Adam; but, now that I go without him, it saves him the time.

Believe it or not, I have had a few funny things happen to me on the way to the mailbox...

Once I was walking on the sidewalk of the Drill Field, (enclosed grassy field, surrounded by gorgeous brick "Southern" style buildings).  this man on a bicycle peddled by me with a huge smile on his face.  Then, a few seconds later, I heard bicycle breaks squeal and shriek, then someone yelling, "INDIANA! INDIANA! INDIANA!"  Um, I know, weird and silly, right.  So, I turned around to see what was giong on and the guy on the bike, struggling to stay on the bike was turning it around and peddling frantically back to me, yelling Indiana and looking right at me.  So, he pulls up to me, and says excitedly, "You're from Indiana, right? We met yesterday, remember?"  Honestly, i was a little relieved that I really did NOT know this crazy person.  But, I introduced myself, so I guess now I do know him.  So, he thought I was someone else, and I wasn't; no big deal, just an average day on the way to the mailbox.  

Our friends/neighbors have two elementary school age boys.  Naturally, for them, going to the Post Office is nothing short of AWESOME.  I was lucky enough one day to accompany the kids and their mom on such an adventure.  We rode our bikes along the "secret" walkways under the trees, dodging students and faculty, weaving with the sidewalk as it ziged and zaged, going under stairs, even thought their mom specifically said for them not to, and about two seconds after which they did in deed go under the stairs.  And, on our way through the Drill Field, we saw IT!  And by "IT" I mean the big one!  WE SAW AN INFLATABLE BOUNCY HOUSE!!  So, after the fastest trip to the mailbox and back to the Bouncy House, leaving their bikes in the middle of the sidewalk and a trail of helmets and shoes, they were bouncing in no time.  The bounce castle was supervised by college students who were preparing to host a family type get together for the Business Department or something.  Those students were waiting for an excuse to get in there and jump, so when the boys got in, and their mom and I asked if we could jump, the college kids jumped in on the fun, too.  So, we jumped and jumped until the kids involved with the family event and who the bouncy house was actually for, arrived.  I left that little bounce house with a busted ponytail holder (from my major bouncing, I guess), a sweat soaked shirt, and exhausted muscles.  And, my little neighbor guys were able to bounce with the other kids for another ten minutes or so.  It was an awesome trip to the mailbox, for sure!