Wilma and Ryan

Who says growing up in a little rural town in Southwestern Michigan didn’t have its merits? Everyone knew everyone else, and if they didn't, then they knew someone who knew that person. So either way, the person involved was directly or indirectly known by everyone in town.

The post office had always been a place to gather and shoot the shit between generations as they went to gather their mail from their post office boxes. Such was the case over a 35-year span, with the results being better than imagined for Wilma.  

Teri Swartz was the local headmaster; the town only had 2500 residents, so it was difficult to maintain privacy. Nonetheless, Teri never let on half of the stuff she heard, let alone what was actually true out of what she heard.

Most of the residents were on a routine where they picked up their mail on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. However, since the post office closed at 12:00 noon on Saturdays, outside of the bakery, it was the busiest place in town.

“Good morning, ladies. How're you all doing today?” Johnny Munger would ask as he pulled on his suspenders and doffed his cap. “Harold!” He’d nod at Harold, the only male employee at the post office! Harold would never speak but wave every time. “So what’s the word? Who’s playing Publisher’s Clearing House? Come on, Teri, you can tell me, “Johnny begged.

Just then, Gladys H. came in to get her mail and mail a letter. She stood at the wicket. Johnny looked her up and down and said, “Aren’t you going to say hi, Mrs. H.?”

“Why is that you? Johnny Munger? Well, how the hell are you? Christ I haven’t seen you since you were dancing with that skeleton last Halloween at the social put on by the church.

“Hey, what about moving along, Gladys? I got to get to work over at Old Man Nelson’s, and he doesn’t take kindly to me being late. Say, why don’t you come to the shop with me and distract him?” Walt Wheeler snuck in to buy some stamps for his mother and mail the back of the comic book advertisement for green floating seahorses that he thought would be cool to get.

Now, Walt, when are you going to stop trying to match Ike and me together? Don’t you know some things have to be done the old-fashioned way”. She smirked, then shrugged. She put her stamp on her letter and turned to go. She gasped.

“Wilma? Did you move back to town?”

“Why, Gladys, hi. Yes, yes, I did,” she smiled, and she moved to her mailbox to retrieve her mail.

Johnny mailed his letters, told the entire post office a joke, and left everyone in tears; they were laughing so hard. Walt dashed in and out like a flash.

Gladys and Wilma stared at each other. “Why didn’t you call me?” Gladys wanted to know

“What do you mean? I must have sent you 35 letters, and you never answered one, so I assumed you didn’t care to see me.” 

“No, no, not a chance. I never got one of your letters. I was always hoping you’d come back so we could hang out again.”

“Well, I never got a letter back saying it was undeliverable, so someone has those letters. What do you say we find out who?” Wilma asked. “Which address did you send the letters to? Gladys asked.

Just then the door opened in rapid succession, and in walked Ryan and Lance. They were brothers who met every Saturday for breakfast at their mother’s house.

Wilma used to date Ryan many years ago. The men were shocked to see her. She looked just as gorgeous as she had when Ryan dated her.

Lance spoke first and moved in for a hug. “Wow, Wilma, are you back in town now?”

“Hi Lance. Thanks for the hug. Yes. I am back in town now. Maybe I could come over for a visit with you and Teri? I’ll give you my number. She produced a card, which he readily took. Then he smacked Ryan on the back and said, “Ryan could use a hug too, and he’ll take your number too.”

He leaned in and hugged me tight as he whispered in my ear, “I’ll call you.”

They got their mail, said goodbye,” and left. Gladys turned to me and said, “It sure doesn’t look like he’s over you.”

“I don’t know; that’s been a long time now. Besides, I heard he’s married and happy. So I don't see how I am involved in any of that. Anyway. I should get motoring.” 

Out of the corner of her eye, it was a rush of colour that whipped up like a tempest and whirred into the post office. 

“I cannot believe you. You come back here innocently and all but push yourself on married men? Let alone on the guy whose heart you tramped all over and left for dead? What the fu*k is wrong with you? You really don’t get it, do you? We have a happy life here without you. So why don’t you just go back to where you came from? Go home.”

“Maybe we should go to my place for some coffee; have you got time?”

 “Sure. I just need to buy a stamp.”

“Oh no, you don’t. You don’t get to ignore me. Not after all that I went through with that guy and you. Not happening. You will talk to me.” 

Teri called the police and offered Wilma a chance to get away from the instigator. Everyone knew that Wilma had a nasty, mean streak and that the woman was obviously trying to provoke her. So far, Wilma wasn’t buying what she was selling. 

Ryan’s mother entered the post office. “Wilma, how are you?” Her face broke into the sweetest smile. She acknowledged her daughter-in-law but asked Wilma back to her place for some coffee or tea. Wilma graciously accepted, but not before handing Gladys her number for where she was staying. 

As Wilma approached the wicket, Teri asked her to “Wait a minute, please” and left her standing there with Ryan’s mother. 

She returned with a stack of letters with the incorrect address but no return address, only her name as the sender. Teri smiled and gave them to her.

Wilma bought her stamp and posted her letter. Before she left, she asked, “How did you know to keep these letters for me?" Well, one of your letters wasn’t sealed properly, so I had to reseal it. I may have read you were returning to live here for good.” Really, and I thought licking them plus taping them would’ve done the trick. Thanks, Teri, for all your help.” She smiled and winked at Teri before she and Gladys left.

As Wilma and Ryan’s mother left. Ryan’s wife was left standing alone in the post office without any satisfaction at all. The day that the post office became so instrumental in Wilma’s life all over again, she had really come full circle.