chapter 4 - luxury vs. necessity

After Sam got home from school one day, I decided to head to Walmart to pick up a few things. The store is only about five minutes away and once I got onto Newport Avenue it was pretty much a straight shot. I was proud that I was finally starting to figure out my way around. 

When I was leaving to come home, I apparently wasn't paying attention because after driving for over fifteen minutes I didn't see anything familiar, okay I was lost. I was trying to avoid stopping to ask for directions, not because I don't like doing it, but because Sam has told me frequently that it is different out here, and it isn't a good idea to do anything that would make it appear that you are a naive tourist, or that you are alone and lost. I saw a sign that said "Wollaston" and remembering that I lived near the Wollaston neighborhood I decided to head that way hoping it would get me on the right track. By then, it was already dark and I just ended up further away. When I found myself driving alongside the ocean I was overcome with a feeling of being out of my comfort zone. I was a desert girl. Driving alongside the ocean made me feel like I was at the end of the earth, and while we lived somewhat close to the beach, it wasn't anywhere near on the way home from Walmart. I was obviously more turned around than I thought so I decided to stop at a gas station and ask for directions. Gas stations aren't as plentiful and as conveniently located on the corners of intersections out here so I had to drive a while longer just to find one. While I drove, I practiced asking for directions in a tone that didn't shout, 'I am a naive girl who is lost and alone.' I decided I couldn't mention that I was in fact trying to find my own house, so maybe I could say that I was looking for my friend's house, or maybe the Wendy's which is near where I live. When I got out at the gas station I rolled down my window and asked the attendant even more vague, in a 'silly me I've been here before but can't seem to find it this time' tone, "How do I get to North Quincy from here?"

"Do you know where the Walgreens is?"

"Uh huh." (crap! no. why did I say that?! but I can't change my answer now, then I would look lost and dumb).

"When you get to the Walgreens take a left and it will take you to E. Squantum street, follow that and it will take you to North Quincy."

"OK. Great. Thanks for your help." Crap! Crap-crap-crap! I rolled up my window and started slowly driving back towards the road. Only which way to go. I picked right. I probably should have turned left, because going right didn't lead me to any Walgreens. I tried turning around at one point but trying to find my way to through the maze of round-a-bouts proved impossible. Eventually I ended up near the free way and was able to figure out how to get back home.

I finally made it back about an hour after leaving Walmart and attempted to explain to my worried husband how easy it is to get lost in this town. The good news is, we could now justify buying a cell phone as a necessity and find some way to squeeze it into our budget.

I also jumped at the chance, when a week later a I heard someone from church was moving and was giving away their trusty map book. Our realtor had one of these books, and I had thought it was strange that a local, who drove around different neighborhoods for a living would need such a thing. But apparently the maps here are not just for tourists. Later on, that book came in handy in more ways than one.