Being Lost

It ain't fun. But unfortunately its happened a lot since I've been here. And it all began the second night I was here. I was heading back to Flower Mound from dinner with Brad's family. He had given me directions and I am almost always completely good with finding my way home. Usually. But part of the problem was that this state had been my 'home' for 2 days. So I didn't have a stinkin' clue where I was.

I was driving along on some highway with a triple digit number like 360 or 366 or something. All of a sudden it had 2 signs pointing, one saying go this way for Ft. Worth, the other said this way for Dallas. But I didn't want to go to either of those towns. I just wanted to stay on my 347 street or whatever. I pulled a move a' la Cameron Diaz in My Best Friends Wedding, said aloud to no one in particular, "Oh my exit" and cut across 3 lanes to pull over on the side of the road. I had no clue what to do. I tried to pull out a map from my glove compartment as cars were flying by me, looked on whatever page I found first and thought... "crap". Yeeah, I didn't know where I was. I couldn't stay on the side of the road so when all seemed clear I pulled back on the highway and went to the left. All of a sudden I was being lifted into the air, the road I was on going stories high. Now, if I wasn't completely lost and freaked out about that, it would have been fun. It was like a roller coaster. And it was pretty. All of these highways and roads were below me, criss crossing and going in all different directions. But I was just holding onto the wheel for dear life, not knowing where it was taking me. I found out later I was on a section of highway called the 'Mixmaster'. Huh. Well, I'd like to have a few choice words with whoever came up with that madness because it was traumatizing to a newbie like me.

So I'm on a highway, who knows which one, and I see a sign telling me I'm going to Ft. Worth. The only thought in my head was, "But I don't want to go to Ft. Worth!!". There were no ramps to get off, nowhere to turn around so I waited and kept driving, further and further from Flower Mound, the whole time panic creeping in. As soon as I could pull over on a road, I did, and called Suzi, the woman I live with. At first I tried to appear all casual, "Heeey Suzi, its Ellen. Listen, I uhh, got a bit lost I think on my way home and I'm uh, not-quite-sure I know where I am." But the moment she replied, "Well, where do you think you are?", I lost it. The panic overcame me. Tears started streaming and I started babbling incoherently as my voice got squeakier and squeakier and it didn't sound like English anymore..."I-I-I don't knowwheriam ann the signsays ftworrrrth andidontwannabeinfordword a-a-and idunnodirectionsbradgaveanditmaadmegetofftheroad an ijustwanntgohoomebuidunohowtogehome...". Poor Suzi. She calmly got on the Internet and told me to give her landmarks or signs and she step-by-step got my pathetic butt back on the right road. Thankfully I had some time in the car to compose myself, stop cursing (christian curses of course...?) and blow my nose. I walked into the Henry house and Suzi and Paul exclaimed, "Well, look who's back home!". I sheepishly grinned and said, "Oh...yeah, that was an adventure! Well, goodnight!". While really inside I was still cursing the roads, the signs, moving here at all, and the fact that I didnt get a GPS system for my car yet. I crawled into bed thankful to make it home alive. And not quite sure what the next day would bring.