Barbara J. Hamby

sign-up for our email list

Born Thirty Years Too Soon

Some of you may remember a cartoon feature titled, “Out Our Way,” originated by a man named James Williams in 1922. Some of the cartoons bore a single title line. “Born Thirty Years Too Soon” was one of those titles. I obtained the background information on this cartoon via a search engine named “Dogpile.” Interestingly, I couldn’t get it on AOL search or Google, but Dogpile dug it up, so to speak.

Anyway, recent television commercials advertising new luxury automobiles have convinced me that I was born at least thirty years too soon. All my life I have lacked directional skills or, as the more politically correct term goes, I’m “directionally challenged.” Thus, whenever I’m driving to a location where I’ve not been before, I tend to get lost. I do ask for directions, but often they are not very helpful. In some instances, Mapquest or other web direction services are useful, but occasionally even they goof up and send me on a wild goose chase.

Now that I’m driving what I’m fairly well convinced will be my last auto, there are new luxury cars that tell you where to go. Literally. Maybe I should go on Wheel of Fortune and try to win one. My children may drive one of these vehicles sometime in the future. If I’m lucky, I might still be around to ride in one, anyway.