OK, I admit it, to all the world-- I have NO sense of direction. I have lived in Shreveport, La for 32 years and yes, I still get lost.
When I have to go to a new place, I try to casually ask where the place is, and then, I listen as if it is no big deal. But in reality, after the third "turn at the _____" I decide, oh well, I will just start out real early and build in "Cilla-time" to find it.
One thing about me, I have no pride, and stop to ask for directions at the first place I can. This still will not get me to my goal, so I meander down streets a lot.
Stories about me getting lost are legion at work. One time, about 25 years ago, I was taking a nice young man from corporate to lunch at Don's Seafood. I work at the newspaper, and this would normall be about an 8-minute drive. Well, I got there all right, and we had a lovely lunch. But on the way back, I got lost. There are only 3 turns to get back, but I drove around in the highland neighborhood about 15 extra minutes. The poor young man must have thought I was driving him to an afternoon "dessert", and I know he noticed I ended up on one block about three times. That afternoon, when I finally found the paper, he was mighty quiet, and ended his fact-finding mission early.
Another time, I ended up driving the wrong way down a one-way street wtih a young lady who was supposed to be auditing me. When we finally stopped, I smashed my finger in the door when I got out of the car to take her to lunch. As I remember it, she gave me some pretty high marks, probably out of pity for me.
My daughter, even when she was little, would already find out if I knew how to get her to the birthday party. When I got lost, she made sure to tell Daddy about it.
I can't tell you the times I have lost my car in the parking lot. But one thing, I have met some really interesting people that way!
Funny thing is, I love maps, of any kind. I just don't have an internal mapping device.
Well, have a nicely mapped-out day!
