My Downtown DC Adventure

Friday around 11:30 AM, I got a call from my husband. He was telling me some other bad news but at the same time, he realized he had locked his keys in the car, again. He asked if he should get a locksmith, but I said we could save some money and I would go and deliver the spare key.

Normally I refuse to drive to Downtown DC, and he was at a location that I had never been to. I printed out the internet directions, and it sounded easy enough - take 66, 110, 395, 295, and South Capitol Street, and it's right off there.

I headed out and the traffic wasn't too bad. I got on 110 and saw the sign for 395, so I was good. Then, the sign disappeared, and re-appeared on a different road. So I got off 110 and followed the sign. The road then turned and another 395 directed me back to 110. Hum. That's weird, but ok.

I got on 395 and kept driving. Then I started to see signs for the Memorial Bridge, the Nationals Park, and some other signs. I asked my husband (cell phone with hands-free ear piece, of course), and he said I needed to get off because I was way off track.

I got off 395 but couldn't find a place to stop. I kept driving and ended at the water front. There was a restaurant, but I couldn't find parking to go and ask for directions. I finally caught the attention of a pedestrian who was passing my car, and he told me to go that direction.

I got back on the phone with my husband and told him the directions the pedestrian told me. But my husband told me to go the opposite direction. Based on past experience, my husband usually gave wrong directions, so I repeated the pedestrian's direction just to confirm. Apparently that set him off, because he told me to just follow that guy's directions then. He wouldn't tell me where to go, even after I asked him to repeat his directions. He kept telling me to go north and away from 395, but I was so disoriented and had no idea where north or 395 was.

I was really upset so I found a place to pull off the road. The only reason I ended up in an unfamiliar place was because I was trying to help him. He's stupid enough to lock his keys in the car repeatedly. I went out of my way and dropped my work so I could come rescue him, but this was how he treated me. I should have just let him pay for a locksmith.

So he finally got over his pride and started telling me the directions. And it sounded like he got a map from someone in the office, because he was able to tell me the exact street names, instead of just saying "north" or "away from 395".

Eventually, he guided me to the base successfully. I unlocked the car for him and then followed him home. It was a horrible experience, and I really hope he doesn't do this again too soon.