Prairie Sunflower

A few days ago I stopped in the Chinook Post office and was kidding the employees about "being the only Post Office in Montana with a flower garden growing in the cracks of the sidewalk by the parking lot." They looked at me puzzled and I told them, "There's a whole row of 'wildflowers' growing out of the space between the street curb and the sidewalk by the parking lot on the west side of the building."

Later in the week I saw Leann Haider, one of the postal employees, mowing the strip of grass at the front of the post office. Next time I went to the counter to mail a package Leann greeted me with a big smile and, "Hello Box 1116!"-I once accused the postal people of referring to customers by our box number rather than our names. Leann was joined shortly by Postmaster Leta Buck, also showing a mischievous grin.

Then Leann said, "Did you notice that when I cut the weeds down along the curb, I left the Prairie Sunflower for you?" Truth is I'd crossed the parking lot several times in the last couple of days but never saw the lone sunflower plant she had left standing. I left the post office and checked it out...there it was in all its singular glory. Only in a small town would folks take the time and effort to make another citizen's day a little brighter. Thank you, ladies, for keeping a bit of natural beauty along that span of concrete.