the GPS

While Rudy and I were in Florida visiting Chris and his family we decided to visit Daytona Beach, about 150 miles away, across the state.

Chris offered his car and we set out early on a crisp morning, MapQuest in hand.

“Just use the GPS,” Chris said.

“That’s okay son. We can find our way without it.”

“Well if you need it, use it.”

Rudy and I were feeling pretty secure about finding Daytona Beach, no problem. After all, we are of the generation that didn’t have a GPS to depend on. We used maps and always got where we were going. Besides, how difficult could it be? It looked like a straight shot on I-4, past the dog track and International Speedway. Piece of cake.

The first mistake we made was just 2 blocks away from their house. We went left instead of right and nothing made sense after that. We ended up by the beach and knew we were going the wrong way. We were laughing when we stopped at the first minimart to ask directions. After all, we are of the generation that asks directions if we lose our way.

We bought a couple of snacks and took off again… left instead of right. The next minimart was only a couple of miles away, thank goodness. The lady who gave us directions was very thorough. “Go right on County Road 99 which is also Pinehurst and go south toward Main Street, then turn left on Main Street which is also FL-580.”

This time we turned right. “Why is every street also called something else?” I asked Rudy. “There honey,” I said pointing. “Take County Road 99 and turn left on Pinehurst.” Seems we should have turned right on Pinehurst.

We got gas at the next minimart where we learned we had been driving for 45 minutes and were still in Tampa. I looked at the GPS. “We don’t need to use this thing, do we?”

“No, no,” Rudy said, “we got off to a false start but we’re okay. We just have to find I-4.”

“I-4? I thought that last guy said ‘I-75.”

“Yes. I-75 to I-95 North and then straight on to Daytona Beach.”

“Then in that case according to MapQuest, we turn left here.”

You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to find I-4. I eyed the GPS and wondered but by now we had become determined and very stubborn. A couple more minimarts, a few more gallons of gas and we found I-4. It was a straight shot from there and we were very proud of ourselves. We rolled into Daytona Beach 5 1/2 hours later without using the GPS. It’s a 3 hour drive.

The way back seemed easy enough. All we had to do was reverse the order in which we came. How hard could that be? We were doing fine on I-4 when Rudy spotted a Cracker Barrel off the freeway, to the right. He knew I wanted to eat there so he whisked us off I-4 quicker than you could blink an eye. The problem is things seen from the freeway are not necessarily where they appear to be and we now appeared to be in Universal Studios. Restaurants to the right of us, restaurants to the left of us but no Cracker Barrel. We went back around to the freeway and yep! There it was! Back through Universal Studios we went but there was no Cracker Barrel to be seen. We stopped at a gas station (yes, I looked at the GPS but I didn’t say anything.) “Go down to the twin towers and it’s right behind them,” said our friendly clerk. To tell the absolute truth we were getting ready to give up 30 minutes later when we found it quite by accident.

We ate dinner, relaxed, shopped a little then hit the road, full of mac and cheese and proud of ourselves. We didn’t need that GPS. “We’ll be home in an hour or so,” Rudy said.

Once again we turned left when we should have turned right, or maybe it was right when we should have turned left and found ourselves on a toll road we had never seen before. It was late, we were tired and Rudy was hoarse. He was coming down with a cold. I cast a jaundiced eye at the GPS. I had no faith in it but we had been gone all day and we needed to get home. I considered it for just a moment but quickly changed my mind.

The lady in the minimart was very patient as I wrote down her directions. “Turn left at McDonald’s, go three red lights, turn left on Hillsborough Avenue and straight into Pinellas County.” I relayed the information to Rudy but not in quite the way it was told to me. At least that’s what we think happened.

About 11:30 I called Chris’ wife, Jill.

“We are at the corner of “This and That,’” I said. “Where do we go now?”

“Oh Mamazita, I don’t know where that intersection is. Here, talk to your son”

“Mother?” He was hoarse and sounded as if he didn’t feel very well; kind of like he was coming down with a cold. .

“Yes Boy?”

“Turn ON the GPS and punch in HOME!”

At that point I gave up being stubborn and turned on the GPS. I hit home and two minutes later we pulled into the driveway, tired and no longer so determined and proud. Yes, we are proud members of the generation that got around without a GPS and we are now of the generation that uses a GPS. Ours goes with us everywhere we go. .