Recap of Trip

 I am a Leo, an only child, an Alpha Male.  I am not used to insecurity.  That's why San Francisco, being lost, and not knowing what was going to happen made the trip so hard to bear.

On the trip to San Francisco, we got lost the first time before we left Merced.  The driver missed her turn...she was trying to drive and read from computerized directions.  She said, "Give me a map and I can get anywhere" but a list of instructions and driving do not mix. 

We got lost the second time trying to get back on the freeway.  The sign meant "turn right HERE", not "cross the tracks and turn right".

We had the larger part of an hour delay while waiting to get through a toll booth at San Francisco bay bridge.

curious note...there is a toll getting INTO San Francisco, but no toll in getting OUT.  It seems they are trying to empty the city, charging entry but letting people out free.

But our most serious getting lost was while the driver was trying to drive through the city streets and read directions at the same time.  One series of turns put us back on the entry to the Bay Bridge AGAIN, GOING BACK OUT OF THE CITY. That would have meant being lost in Oakland, and another hour wait to get back to the city at the toll booth. Fortunately we got on the last exit before the bridge.

Phone calls to the dispatcher did not help the driver, but my phone call to the VA hospital did.  We got someone on the line, a patient perhaps, who knew San Francico well. He asked where were and then guided us and stayed on line until we were going in right direction.

It was reassuring to have him say, "Now you're going by city hall," and looking up and sure enough, we were passing city hall. He got us on the right street and said, "Keep going until you came to 42nd street."  We were at 3rd.

We hit almost every signal on STOP.  I have a "two hour bladder" and the trip took four hours. 

Embarrassed I checked into the hospital at five pm, but at least I was in time to change my pants and even my socks before dinner which was served in my room.

It was a nice chicken dinner, and I had two taciturn room mates, about which I will rant in a future entry.