Next Stop: Department Of Map-Reading

(I’m learning to drive and have been practicing, but my learner’s permit expired. In my state, the office that handles licenses is called the Department of Licensing or DoL. I’m on the bus on my way to the DoL to get my permit renewed, when two slightly bedraggled-looking middle-aged women board the bus.)

Woman #1: *to the bus driver* “How do I find the DoL?”

Bus Driver: “I don’t know where that is.”

Woman #1: “It’s somewhere on 132nd St. How do I get there?”

Bus Driver: “I don’t know where the DoL is. 132nd St. is a big street.”

Woman #1: “But how do I get there?!”

Bus Driver: “Well, 132nd St. is next to 134th St. They go in order…”

Me: *stepping in because I can tell this conversation is going nowhere* “I’m also going to the DoL. You can just get off at the stop where I get off.”

Woman #1 & Woman #2: “Thank you so much!”

(The women take a seat at the back of the bus, talking the whole time about where the DoL is and how to get there. When we get close to the stop, I wave to them, and they wave back casually, like they know what to do. I assume they have figured out where to go and don’t really need my help any more. I get off the bus and walk to the crosswalk, thinking that they will see me as soon as they get off the bus.)

Woman #1 and Woman #2: *exit the bus, immediately turn away from me, and start walking down the street quickly in the wrong direction*

(I don’t really want to get involved, but I realize that they will never find the DoL without my help.)

Me: *sigh* “Excuse me!”

Woman #1 and Woman #2: *walking quickly away, not hearing me*

Me: “Excuse me! EXCUSE ME!”

Woman #1 and Woman #2: *finally turning around, clueless looks on their faces* “Oh, hello!”

Me: “Um, did you still want to go to the DoL? The crosswalk is actually this way…”

Woman #2: “Oh, wow! We had no idea! Thanks again!”

Me: “No problem. Just be careful crossing here because people tend to take this corner too fast.”

(We get safely across the street and the DoL is right in front of us. I think that they must have figured it out by now because we can see other people arriving and entering the building.)

Woman #1 and Woman #2: *turning the wrong way AGAIN and beginning to walk around the back of the building*

Me: “Oh, um, I think the entrance is actually on this side…”

Woman #2: “Thank goodness you are here to help us! We would be walking around in circles all day if it weren’t for you!”

Me: *trying not to let my face show that I think she’s right*

Woman #1: “And that bus driver was no help at all! I couldn’t believe that he wouldn’t help me! He was so rude.”

Me: *knowing that it was mostly her fault for not asking the right questions, but wanting to be polite* “Well, maybe he couldn’t hear you clearly. That bus was pretty noisy.”

Woman #1: “Maybe you’re right. That’s good to put a positive spin on it. I need some more positive things in my day.”

Me: “Well, I think we all do.”

(At this point we finally entered the DoL. The women were so grateful for my help that they let me go in front of them in line, and later when I left they both waved and smiled at me. I have no idea how they thought they could find their way on their own, but I’m glad I could add something positive to their day. I just hope they got home all right!)