Do You Know the Way to....

"How far is it?"  I asked Bruce that day in New Orleans.  We wanted to have an early lunch because we had another dinner engagement that night.

"It's five blocks that way," he pointed.  He knew a great place to eat.

We walked for about 10 blocks, then he said, "Turn right at the next corner."

"How far?" I foolishly asked again.

"Not far."

We walked for 37 blocks, then turned left.

54 blocks.

By now I was starving.  And, believe me, it was no longer an early lunch.  It was mid-afternoon.

My legs, my feet, my face, my arms; they were all dripping sweat.  My glasses slid down my nose over and over again.

We turned to the left. "It's in the next couple blocks," Bruce declared.  I didn't believe him.

We walked for 63 blocks.

And, up ahead, was it a mirage?  No, it was

THE PLACE.

It had taken us 45 minutes to walk there. 

I'm glad he said five blocks...what if he had told us originally that it was actually in the next county?