Daily Prompt: Circuitous Paths

A stranger knocks on your door, asking for directions from your home to the closest gas station (or café, or library. Your pick!). Instead of the fastest and shortest route, give him/her the one involving the most fun detours.

It’s 12:20 pm and my 12pm appointment is running late and so will I if she doesn’t show up any minute now. Since it’s our first meeting I have no idea what she looks like and more importantly, what the condition of her face looks like. I do facial threading and though it can anything from 5-15 minutes, I have had clients with some pretty stubborn hairs to remove. Also there are those who cannot bear the sting and asks for breaks in between. I really hope it’s none of the latter.

The clock ticks 12:25 and as I try for the umpteenth time to call her I hear a knock on the door. I hastily open the door and assess the woman who appears to be my client. ‘Great’ I think. This will be a 5 minute job so I’ll make it after all.

The woman nervously says “Hi, I was wondering if you could help me. I’ve got an appointment with a lady who does facial threading but I seem to be lost and I’ve been driving around in circles and my cellphone’s battery died so I can’t call her.” She hands me a piece of paper with my address on it. Shame the poor darling looks frazzled. Just then the little devil in me takes charge of the situation.

I take another look at the piece of paper and start giving her directions. “Ok. You drive straight down this road and take the first left. Carry on for another few meters and turn right. You’ll note there is a school on the opposite side. The name of that street is Poplar Street. Now you drive straight down Poplar Street and you’ll get to the 7/11 store.” I pause to give her a moment to take it all in. She nods and that gives me indication that she’s on the same track. I continue “At the 7/11 you take another left and when you’ve reached that point you’ll find that she lives nowhere near there.” By now I can hardly contain my laughter.

She looks at me in total confusion this time and before she opens her mouth to speak I come clean. “Hi, I’m Celeste” I say with the widest grin. “I’m glad you made it.”

Relief washes her face and she bursts out laughing along with me.

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