Men, Women and Directions: The Truth

In a mobile society, there is one thing everyone is going to need at some point in their life. Directions. Between sub-divisions popping up like mushrooms after a rain, highway construction never being able to stay ahead of the traffic load and politicians renaming sections of highway, it's anyone's guess how we ever manage to find our way to any destination!

You've heard the old joke that the difference between a woman and a man is that the man will never ask for directions. Well, I suppose that's frequently true, but women don't get off scott free. Doubt me? Follow along and you'll see what I mean.

Men, of course, have this notion that they never get lost. Or at least they won't admit it. But I've got news for you. They do get lost...and sometime the fact becomes legendary. Probably the most famous example is Wrong Way Corrigan. Back in 1938 (even before my time), he took off in a Curtiss Robin airplane with the intention of flying non-stop from New York City to Long Beach, California. Instead, due to fog, he turned the wrong way and ended up in Dublin, Ireland, making him a legend in his own time.

I've even done it myself. Managed to get thoroughly lost driving from Ft. Worth to a friend's house in Dallas. At night. And I'd never been to Dallas before. Before I was done, I'd spent four hours driving, went thru downtown Dallas three times and eventually wound up about ten miles south of Grand Prairie on a two-lane farm to market road before I finally figured out where I was in order to get back home. Never did find my friend's house that night. In case you're wondering if I ever stopped to ask for directions, the answer to that one is....no.

Women, on the other hand, will definitely ask directions. The problem is that so many of them don't have a clue as to what a compass direction is. Instead of being able to tell them to drive west for three miles, look for the Whataburger on the northeast corner of the street, then turn south on that same street, you have to take a slightly different approach. "Don't confuse me with compass directions", they say. "Do I turn left or right?" Aarrrgh!