Map On Demand

After our weekly piano lesson, I decided to take my kids to YMCA for swimming yesterday. On the way, my son Thomas said he was really hungry and my daughter Tyler chimed in. I guess the star-shaped chicken nuggets were much more attractive than the water slide at the time. But I did not have the address to the closest Berger King. (A little background info: I am hopeless with direction and orientations. It is a miracle that I ever owned a car before GPS). Without an address, even with the miracle of the GPS in my car, there was no way we were going to get there. I called my children's dad. He located my current position and said it would be too much of a challenge to explain to me how to get there (he knew me well). It was not straight-forward, which is pretty much what I can handle as far as driving goes. So, I decided to just go to our local BK. I learned early on to program my home address in the little savior of a GPS.

As I announced that we needed to go home and forget about the YMCA, Thomas called from the back seat: "Mommy, I know how to get to the Burger King. It is on Burnt Mill Rd". Well, admitting that I was lousy with directions and orientation was one thing. Being aided by my six-year-old was not something that boosts my ego. Granted, this was only our second week with this really cool YMCA and he had only went to the BK once before, I decided I was just going to brush him aside. But he insisted: "Mommy, I am too hungry. I will help you to get there". Now I was provoked. How could a six-year-old remember something that he only went once before that's about 45 minutes away from our house? I had to test him and prove him wrong. So, trying my best to supress my anxiety of finding a new place during rush-hour traffic and being directed by a six-year old, I told him to go ahead and tell me where to go.

Thomas: "Make a legal U turn on Mt Airy Rd (being trained with proper language by my GPS, which is probably the most frequent direction the little soothing female voice dishes out for me)". Hard, but I was successful with the help of a really wide driveway.
Thomas: "Stay on the right and get on the I-287 ramp".
Me: "Going South or North?"
Thomas: "South".
Me: "You sure?"
Thomas: "Trust me!".
Thomas: "Take exit 22, 202/206 North". Ok. I was lost already and totally at his mercy now. I assured myself: I have my home address programmed. Worst case, I (the GPS) knows how to get home!!
Thomas: "Bear right and take 202 North. No, no, not here, next exit. Mom!!!" He got frustrated. Sorry. I was nervous. Couldn't you tell!?
Thomas: "Ok. Now. Stay on the left side and take a left turn on Rt 523. Lamington Rd". I started to drop my jaw. How could he remember all this?
Thomas: "Ok. Get in the left lane. Turn left onto 206 South".
Me (panicking): "Are you sure this is right? We are going in circles".
Thomas: "Trust me, mommy".
Me (anxiety boiling): "We are going back over I-287. This totally does not make any sense!!"
Thomas: "You need to go under I-287 and cross I-78. Then turn right onto Burnt Mill Rd". In total despair, I put Burnt Mill Rd into my GPS (dangerous operation. Do not try at home!!) I did not know the street number, but at least it confirmed that the street did exist and I could see that it was beyond the red line of I-78.
Thomas (reaching over to rub my back): "Mommy: you are doing great. We are almost there". Suddenly, I felt a little mist over my eyes. Actually, lots.
I turned right onto Burnt Mill Rd. In five minutes, T&T were giggling with their star- and lightening-shaped nuggets. I munched on my salad in absolute, sheer amazement.

Thomas will turn 7 in two months. He went to this location only once before. This place is about 45 minutes from our home. He loves maps. I keep on marveling at how observant he must be in life to be able to know exact Rt numbers and street names. How much detail he must story in his little brain.

Thomas: I love you so much. I am so blessed and not worthy to have a son like you.