Do you remember the scene in The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy first stumbles upon the Scarecrow? She is standing at a crossroad asking Toto which way she should go when the Scarecrow says "you should go that way" and points to the right. Dorothy thinks she is seeing things and looks away when he says, "of course, I hear it's awfully nice that way as well" and points left. This goes on, comically, until the Scarecrow has his arms crossed pointing both directions and leaving poor Dorothy hopelessly lost. Welcome to my day.
I know it doesn't seem a big deal to many, I got lost. So what? Well, I don't get lost. I just don't. I have an impeccable sense of direction and a good understanding of maps, distance, directions, etc. Which is why my getting lost today annoys the bejeezus out of me. Well, that, and it happened as I was on my way to a job interview: and I was subsequently late.
I got the directions off of Google Maps. Truly, I am a huge fan of these new internet mapping services, they are wonderful, and so much easier than a bulky map. Problem is....I guess they're not always right. This one was so far off--I first noticed intersections cropping up that weren't mapped. Then, an unexpected T-Stop. I used my knowledge and reasoned it out and made a turn. The correct turn. Then, when I was back on track with the map and directions: that's when it all came a-tumbling down. Somehow I ended up about 10 miles from my destination in the middle of nowhere, clunking down a dirt road, after following the map precisely. ARGHARRUMPH!
So I called and let them know I would be late and begged for some assistance and presented a first impression of a)not punctual b)unprepared and c)an imbecile--sure, that's exactly what I was aiming for. Sigh. I recovered well, made it into a fun anecdote and charmed the heck out of them in the interview...I know the image I left them was more like what I was shooting for. Still, it put a crimp in my day and left me with the image of Google Maps as a gangly, slightly-charming, stuffing-for-brains scarecrow out to steer me down the wrong path. Hopefully, the interviewers aren't tinmen with no hearts. Which I guess makes me Dorothy...now I need red shoes.
