Driving

Flash Fiction

Driving

Rain is pouring down, it’s always something when I’m nervous about going someplace new. Not a comfortable driver, I tend to look at any trip to an unknown place with trepidation. Thank goodness for GPS the only thing that saves me. Sort of.

I wear glasses for distance. Unfortunately, that means I can’t see the GPS screen well. No problem, GPS talks to you! A little less wonderful if you have a left and right problem. I’m one of those who has to wiggle a finger, pretending to write, to get right right. I can figure it out fairly quickly without my finger, but not as quickly when driving at thirty-five miles an hour, on an unfamiliar road, and suddenly hearing, “In two tenths of a mile turn right.”

Add rain. The windshield clear, every other second, for two seconds. Every light diffused over my windshield so other people’s red, yellow and green lights blend with mine, and of course I’m usually at the head of every line of cars because I’m too slow for all the “regulars” on the road.

I know I’m missing a turn, I know the GPS will “recalculate” and get me back on track eventually. I could pull in somewhere and turn around, speeding up the process, of course that would require me to use a stranger’s driveway, since I’m in a rural area, uncomfortable… and I’d need to cross two lanes of what seems to be fairly heavy traffic, not good at cutting people off either.

So, I’ll just keep on going, trust the GPS to get me back on track, again (my third missed turn already.) And keep praying that the fact that I forgot to get gas yesterday, and the little arrow is in the red, doesn’t really mean I’m screwed. Thoughts?