I'm Not From Around Here

After 20 years of working full time as a farrier I can say I've learned to follow some of the worst direction successfully. I've taken directions over the phone that caused me to wonder if the person on the other end could find their own way home from picking up milk and toilet paper from the Quickie Mart. All those years and nothing compared to my effort to find a specialty store in Rock Hill, SC.

Starting in Camden, SC visiting my Mother-in-law, I went on line, got a Yahoo map and left confident of success. Rock Hill had undergone some development and forgot to notify Yahoo. I pulled into a gas station for directions. A pedestrian volunteered without my solicitation to help me for a dollar. I think that's what he wanted, but even though he looked as American as everyone else there I could make out about every other word. Now I'm from Virginia so southern accents are not usually a problem. I gave him his fee, said thanks, and went inside as quick as I could.

In the station they told me to take such and such road, turn at the light then asked if I knew where the old Wal-Mart was. "Well I'm not from around here." I said.

"Oh well I don't know how to tell you how to get there if you don't know that."

I thanked them and went as far as the directions took me. I asked another person I metfor directions.

They asked me "Do you Know where the old Wal-Mart was?"

"No"

"I don't know how to tell you how to get there if you don't know that."

What's up with these people? I ask others. Everyone says the same thing. When I ask for directions to the store they ask if I know where the old Wal-Mart was. It's like Groundhog Day or something. So I drive on hoping to find the place by accident. Finally I pull into an old diner that's just opening for the day. "Hello, How do I get to where the old Wal-Mart was?" I ask.

"Why do you want to know that?"

After recounting my recent odyssey they ask what I'm really looking for. Of course they never heard of that store. So I find a phone in the parking lot and call the store, they should be open by now. Sure enough the owner answers. I ask for directions from the diner. He says he's right across from where the old Wal-Mart was.