One of Our 50 Is Missing: November 2021

Above: Illustration by Chris Philpot.

But Boy, Do We Have Sand

David Winter and his wife divide their time between Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Albuquerque. Prior to a trip to New Mexico, he arranged to have a tooth extracted. As the dentist was injecting a local anesthetic, his assistant cheerily advised Winter to “just think about those warm, sandy beaches!” “My Spanish-surnamed dentist then muttered, ‘There are no sandy beaches in New Mexico,’ ” Winter says.

Your Money’s No Good Here

While visiting Los Angeles, Albuquerque resident Lola Blackwell needed to run an errand that included a stop at the airport. She parked her car and went to the payment kiosk, where a clerk asked, “Is that a New Mexico license plate?” She nodded. “That will be four American dollars, please,” he said.

The Not-So-Smart Web 

While searching online using her local internet provider in Ruidoso, Karen McCort encountered a website that seemed to be lost. “International visitor?” it asked her. “It appears that you are visiting us from outside of the United States. Please visit the following websites for your region: Western/Central Europe, Rest of the World, and Canada.” She didn’t say which option she picked, but we kind of like being included in “Rest of the World.” 

Foreign Intelligence

While shopping in Egypt, Farmington resident Susan Williams met a vendor who asked where she was from. When she answered “New Mexico,” the man said, “Oh, you are an American.” That impressed Williams, who told him, “They don’t even know I’m an American in America!”