Lost!

No, I am not referring to the smash T.V. hit of recent fame (definitely a pun intended!!).
I don't know what happens to me when I drive into Kansas City and its outlaying suburbs. I lose my sense of direction immediately, my confidence as a driver with a perfect driving record goes out the window next, my nerves become shot because there are a hundred cars that all want to be right where I am and do not understand the concept of personal space, and then I lose my mind.
What's this all about?
If you guessed that I got lost while picking up my dear, dear friend from KCI, you are correct.
Not only lost, but I was reminded, once again, that city driving is really no longer for me.
What's wrong with me?
Back in the day, I drove with the big dogs on some of New Jersey's most dastardly highways and byways. I mean, at one point in my life I drove on Rt. 280 everyday. Those of you who know that road will gasp with awe and admiration. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it's nicknamed "death highway" where I come from because more deaths occur on it than any other major NJ roadway.
My mom and I used to joke that whoever designed the on and off ramps was either on drugs or was really sadistic.
Anyway, thank God for my wonderful cousin Patty, without whom I may not be here today.
She is my navigator, my anchor, my rock.
The trip to the airport was slightly stressful because I have not driven there in a long, long time, but really, once we got on 435, it was smooth sailing, and Patty and I chatted and laughed and caught up on life.
At the airport, we found my friend right away, got her loaded up and hit the road again with happy hearts and high plans to stop at a nice place to eat on the other side of KC before heading home.
We had come in on 435, so, I figured, why not return the same way? What could be easier?
Well, that was before I realized that 435 has an evil twin.
Somehow, I got to a place that no longer looked familiar.I pulled off and asked directions at one gas station where the attendee told me “Oh, your right near where you need to be, just . . .” and then proceeded to give me erroneous directions.
We followed said directions, and, after a time, it seemed that we were heading away from instead of toward our destination of Rt. 69.
I stopped at yet another gas station, a new, well-lit, 20 pump Shell down a back road that was deserted, except for the one attendee who was stacking beer. What would happen if 20 cars suddenly pulled up and wanted gas, I wondered. I approached her calmly and explained that I was lost, and needed to get back to 69 highway, and asked if she could give me directions.
“I don’t know about that, but I can tell you you’re in Grandview, Missouri. I can’t give you directions. I don’t even drive.
That was it for me.
I called Joe and broke down.
Joe was very kind.
“Listen, this is America. You are not lost. You are just misplaced. You will find your place again. Just relax and we will find how to get you home.”
I loved him so much at that moment.
At about that time, a gentleman walked in, we asked him for directions, and he was able to direct us to where we needed to go.
Thankful and equipped with fountain drinks and snacks (I discovered what my kids have always known: snacks help), we headed back to the car, back out into the fray of traffic and twisting roads, toward home.
Our guide was true.
I thank you, sir, wherever you are today.
His directions got us on track and we sailed on through the night, laughing and talking and making memories.
We stopped at a small town about an hour away from home to gas up and get some food. Gone were the notions of a nice dinner at a swanky KC place.
We got overdone burgers and fries at a little bar and grill connected to the gas station.
We would not stop again until we made it to our town.
We thanked Patty and dropped her off at her house, and then it was on to mine.
It was good to pull into my driveway. I sat for a moment and thought about place, and how big this wide world is, and how each of us has a place in it where we belong.
And then, of course, that R.E.M. song popped into my head “. . . Stand in the place where you live, now, think about direction, wonder why you haven’t before . . ."
Today, the sun is shinning and the weather will be warm, and all of that is behind us.
It’s a new day, and we are home.