Can people change?
I am notorious in my family for having no sense of direction. In fact, I am the butt of many jokes and impatient sighs for turning right instead of left or just for turning at all, for going North instead of South or not exiting when I’m supposed to or exiting when I’m not supposed to.
Well, after 49 years I had enough! I decided I will no longer be a victim to or victimize my passengers with my navigational-misadventures. Two years ago my wife, Cindy, and I were out of town for my daughter’s wrestling match and staying at a hotel. The team decided to meet for dinner at a nearby restaurant.
I drove to the restaurant with the assistance of Google Maps. It was pretty easy; eight blocks up, make a left turn, go two blocks and the restaurant is on the right. The entire short trip I was concentrating on landmarks, counting blocks and memorizing each move.
Once we arrived at the restaurant, I reversed the directions in my head and repeated them: “Left turn out of the parking lot, up two blocks, right turn, up eight blocks, hotel on the right.” Over and over in my head I repeated this, even drawing a map in my refried beans that would rival that famous mashed potato scene in Close Encounters.
Dinner was over and it was time to leave. I got this! Finally after years of ribbing and laughter and jokes I would be free from the stigma of poor direction. Magellan could have his name back without the pre-nominal “Way-To-Go”. All it took was some concentration… Okay, a great deal of concentration.
We got in the car and my wife asked if I wanted Google Maps on. I confidently said, “No, I know how to get back to the hotel.” The mantra still ringing in my head, “left, two blocks, right, eight blocks, hotel”. I exit the parking lot and make a left turn. My wife, looking down at her cell phone on Facebook, immediately says, “You’re going the wrong way.” I fully expected this since that is a Pavlovian response she has any time I make a turning movement or don’t make a turning movement or exit the freeway or don’t exit the freeway…
So I calmly and confidently responded, “No I’m not, I know where I’m going.” As I drove up the street, she looks up and MORE confidently says, “No, you’re going the wrong way!” I am a bit angry now since she’s had the time to process that I am, in fact, going the correct way and I retort, “No! I am going the right way; left turn, two blocks up, right turn, eight blocks, hotel!” She then responded a bit more forcefully with just a twinge of fear and panic, “NO!, YOU ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY! THIS IS A ONE-WAY STREET!!!”
So, to answer the question, “Can people change?” No we can’t! So love the person you are including all of your flaws. When people laugh at you, laugh with them because this is as good as it gets.
J. M. M.
