After more than two decades, thousands of you have shared their experiences of lost New Mexico in the "One of Our 50 is Missing" humor column. Tell us your experiences at fifty@nmmagazine.com.
Centennial Cinch
Patrick Scheier lives in Antioch, California, but has family ties to the Southwest. “I have been influenced by cultures of both Arizona and New Mexico,” he says. “I have been keeping up with the centennial events of both states.” To celebrate, he purchased Arizona and New Mexico centennial belt buckles for his father. Upon sharing the gift idea with a friend, and mentioning that New Mexico’s birthday fell on January 6, the friend responded: “What? That’s not true. New Mexico’s been a country for a lot longer than 100 years, and it was never a U.S. state!” Thus began a series of geography and history lessons.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Carla Mercado, of San Antonio, Texas, was searching for a supplemental insurance policy for her mother, who lives in Hobbs. Mercado called a large, well-known company and spoke to a Texas-based representative. “After discussing what I wanted and giving the agent my mother’s information, the agent told me they could not extend coverage outside of the United States.” When Mercado assured the agent New Mexico is a state, the agent replied: “I’ve never heard of such a thing; we do not do business there.” Mercado thanked the agent for her time and hung up. “I am still amazed,” she says. “New Mexico and Texas are neighbor states!”
Foul Ball
Dick and Nina Snyder, of Albuquerque, were at the Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta at the El Paso Convention Center when they noticed a banner hanging overhead (pictured at right). “I assume that they didn’t want to embarrass UNM or our state with the score,” Dick says.