January 21 – “One Down at the Post Office”

I got to meet one of those elusive bigwigs of the City of Galveston yesterday.  It all started with a simple trip to the post office.  And I wasn’t even going to go there.  I had to stop at the bank, pick up some paper at Office Depot for the church, and then go to Randall’s to pick up a prescription.  Cailyn was out of school sick and staying at our house, so I wanted to get back as soon as I could to help Chris.  But I decided it wouldn’t take longer than a few extra minutes to stop at the post office and pick up a registered letter we missed while in Waco.  I knew the letter would somehow relate to the property the church owns out west of Jamaica Beach.  We get those all the time.  I just wasn’t sure how pressing the matter would be.  But that’s another story.

The parking lot was almost full when I arrived, so again, I almost passed.  But I had already driven here, so what’s a few extra minutes in line?  Besides, they have a side line for those just picking stuff up.  I could probably get in that one.  As I entered the building and rounded the set of counters in front of the tellers on my way to the side line “for pick-ups only,” a pregnant lady at the front of the line collapsed.  Just passed out and hit the floor.  I heard the initial hit and saw her seconds later as I hurried over to do what I could to help.  One other young man got to her before I did and instructed the teller to call 911.  I made sure her head was OK.  She was conscious when I got there, and didn’t seem disoriented at all.  She was coherent and talking to us, but obeyed our instruction to stay still for a few minutes.  One other lady came over and said a prayer.  She also left a sweater for the lady to put her head on.  Everybody else kept their place in the line that was soon redirected around us.

As we waited the long minutes before first responders arrived, the young man said he would wait outside and flag them down.  That’s when I first noticed the tall man in the crisp business suit with an ID tag around his neck.  He and a lady with a similar ID seemed to be pacing around the room, occasionally checking the front door.   They finally stopped near us and I could hear what they were talking about.  One of them said, “I know the fire marshall.  We could call him.”  Well, I know him, too, but he wouldn’t have much to do with a particular fire call.  I did, however, have Trish’s number in my phone.  Administrative assistants rule the world anyway, so I gave her a quick call.  And before I could even get the situation out of my mouth, she heard the call coming across from dispatch.  Wouldn’t be long now.

Sure enough, within just a few minutes, engine five rolled into the parking lot.  The fire fighters did a great job (of course) keeping her calm and checking her out.  Always proud of those guys.  When the paramedics arrived the fire fighters reported to them and handed her off to be checked out more fully on the medical side.  I’m pretty sure they convinced her it would be a good idea to touch base with her doctor. 

When I finally stood up to get out of the way, that tall young man in the suit was right there next to me.  He was obviously staring at my Galveston Fire and Rescue hat (at least it seemed so to me … he was really tall), so I introduced myself to him and told him I was just the fire department chaplain.  He seemed to relax and let me know that he was the postmaster general for Galveston.  Wow.  It felt like I was shaking hands with Benjamin Franklin or something.  It’s not often you get to meet a postmaster.  Now I have no idea what a postmaster does, other than discovering electricity by flying kites or writing an almanac or something.  But this guy was very nice.  He took my delivery notice and had someone bring me the letter.  Well done, USPS.  Well done, GFD.

Psalms 47:7 says, “For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.”

Father, protect that young mother and her little baby.  Thank you for the expertise, but also the compassion, of the fire fighters and paramedics who responded to care for her.