Directionally Challenged

There are two phrases that make me nervous when someone is giving me travel directions.
1. "You can't miss it." (because oh yes, I can)
2. "It's a little tricky." (a little?)
I have major problems getting to an unfamiliar area. And sometimes I even have trouble in a very familiar area. I get turned around very easily. It's a form of retardation. It's beyond just being bad with directions.

So the other day, as I was heading off to play at a party, I was haunted by part of the directions I was given: "It's a little tricky", because to me, that can be interpreted as, "You probably will never find this..." So I allowed PLENTY of time. Mapquest estimated the drive to be 33 minutes, so I allowed nearly an hour.

About ten minutes into my drive a downpour began. Yay! And by the time I started getting to the "little tricky" parts, I could barely see anything due to the rain. Oh, and it was turning into rush hour traffic.

Long story short, I called someone at the place I was headed too to let them know I was running a little late. She asked me where I was. I told her the intersection I was stopped at and said, "Oh! You're so close!! You're only about 5 minutes away." then she rattled off more directions that were entirely different than the original ones I was given. Since I was driving in a storm, during rush hour, on highways!! I couldn't write down what she was saying and there's NO WAY I could've remembered it all in the state I was in. I told her thanks, but please just pass the word along that I will be there whenever I get there. She must have empathised with my stuggle because she offered to stay on the phone and guide me in. The "5 minutes" ended up being 25 due to the stand still traffic. But I got there. And she stayed on the phone with me the entire time!

People have all sorts of disabilities. And it is a godsend when you've got someone to help you along your way...