Demented Elecrontics

Have you ever argued with an electronic device? Well, I have. As a matter of fact, today! Ever since we got lost in Washington D.C. and Becky had to load a gps system on her cell phone to get us out of there, I hinted that I would like a GPS. Guess what I got for Christmas?

Since I have not traveled anywhere that I did not know how to get to since I got my new present, I have never used it. Today I had to go way over on the other side of Mansfield to a area that I have rarely traveled, so I knew this would be the perfect time to use my Garmin.

I practiced loading the address on it. Worked perfectly. I even found the save button and saved it as a favorite. It only was half charged but I found the cord to plug it in the cigarette lighter on the car which charges it as you are driving, so I knew I was in tip top shape to head into the unknown boundaries of traveling.

Myself, my Garmin and Becky's DVR cable box headed for the car and the trip to Mansfield. (Becky got a new TV and our cable co. gives you free HD if your TV is compatible to it, but you have to have a cable box to fit that category. Since the cable office is very near the place I had to go, she asked me to take her old box and have it replaced.)

The first problem I had, was I could not get the holder to stick on the window and then get the garmin to stay in it so I just put the garmin on the dash in front of me(it has an indented place with a rubber piece on it so things stay put) and it seemed to work fine.

I started out of my driveway and Mrs. Garmin came on and told me to follow the high -lighted path. Well, I wanted to go the back roads to Mansfield, so I turned on Vernon Road, which of course put her in a tizzy. She told me in no uncertain terms to follow the high-lighted paths. I knew that she would recalculate so I paid her no mind. I must say she is a persistent little thing, for she told me about 5 times and then she said, and I swear they programmed a sigh in there, that she was recalculating. Well, I turn about 8 times on different back roads to get to Mansfield, so she was quite perturbed with me when I finally reached this side of Mansfield. Being tired of hearing her sigh and getting close to the area I was unfamiliar with, I decided to listen to her.

She told me to turn right, which totally confused me,for I could look to the left and see the area I needed to go to, but Mansfield has a lot of one-way streets and such so I thought she may be taking me in the back way or something. She kept telling me to turn right ,and I did what she said until she told me I would be turning on 314 which is just outside of Shelby!!! She had me going backward from where I wanted to be. I knew I wasn't supposed to turn right!

So I whipped down the first road I came to and thought It would take me to Lexington, where I could find my way to the south side of Mansfield. Wasn't where I thought I was. Mrs. garmin was thoroughly disgusted with me by then, but kept giving me directions. Since I had no idea where I was by then ,I would follow them sometimes, until I just felt she didn't have a clue what she was doing either ,so I would turn the opposite direction.She told me to turn on route 288 and this is where we got into an argument. I am in territory I have never even dreamed of being in Mansfield. I am passing huge fields with no sign of life anywhere about. I pass an occasional vehicle going in the opposite direction and I wonder if I should try to flag one of them down and beg for help.I think I have been kidnapped by this little electronic box. Perhaps there is a sinister plan behind her actions. She is telling me to turn right again. I yell at her that I know I am not supposed to go right. I say that if God will only let me come to a sign that I recognize I will fix her little red wagon. All of a sudden the screen flashes low battery at me. Now I am in a pickle, don't know where I am and Mrs. Garmin is not talking to me. Oh, dear what can I do!

Just then 288 ends and I see a sign up ahead. Mt. Gilead 18 miles ahead!!!!! Well, I know where I am now. For those of you who don't know our area I am about 12 or 15 miles to the west of Mansfield.

I turn around and head back down 288. I know I can backtrack to Lexington now and end up on the south side of Mansfield,which is my destination. As I am driving along I say to the DVR cable box in the back floorboard, " You better not open your mouth!". Which he never did.Smart Box.

To give a little credit to Mrs. Garmin, it's hard telling where I told her to take me. I would guess somewhere west of Mansfield, wouldn't you?