Tom Tom vs. Al Jean

This weekend Mom and Dad came down to watch our kids while Holly and I attended a wedding, enjoyed the company of Joe and Angel, and had a long weekend to ourselves in Seattle. But this post is not about our weekend. Instead, it is on a much more colorful topic ... the exploits of our parents Al and Jean!

Now having parents like us creates a target rich environment for posts. And while we aren't quite at "Sh*t My Dad Says" levels, we are blessed by numerous antics and actions of our parents that can become the content of stories that can create belly laughs from all who hear them. Well, here's another edition ...

Our kids are very busy. And it doesn't matter whether it's a week day or a weekend, they need to be picked up, dropped off, and shuttled to and fro' at varying points across the Kansas City metro area. Well, this weekend was no exception. So Holly and I armed Mom and Dad with a schedule of events, addresses, numbers, and a cadre of lists to ensure that all went smoothly as our kids progressed through their daily routine of school and activities.

One such stop on the schedule was for Mom and Dad to pick Haley up on Friday afternoon at St. Teresa's Academy in South KC, the high school she began attending this Fall. 3:05pm pick up, easy enough right? Mom and Dad were well equipped - GPS (Tom Tom), school address, expected time and distance of travel, and even the phone to the school in case things went awry. They set off for their destination early at approximately 2pm, with an expected arrival time that would be nearly 30 minutes early. You know the saying "the early bird gets the worm?" Well ...

Mom and Dad decided NOT to listen to the Tom Tom. After all, it did not select the route they preferred (and Mom knew would get them half way there) and as Dad exclaimed in telling me the story, "either we listen to the damn thing or we turn it off!" So they turned it off. Forget modern technology, multiple orbiting satellites and a global positioning system accurate within 15 feet of anywhere in the Unites States. Forget that they had a device capable of telling them the street they were on, how far their destination was away, and a capability to "recalculate" their route on any road or interstate of their choosing. Nope, none of that works if you shut that device off and put it in the glove box!

So ... Mom and Dad were late. And not just a little. According to them they "saw most of South Kansas City". They also shared that they did ask a nice man for directions who pointed them in the general direction of the school. And they called the school only to learn that in order to be helpful the school actually had to know where they were. Their response to the person on the other end of the line was "we see a sign that says Virginia". Well, that's helpful. Thank goodness they didn't tell the person at the school that there was a very powerful GPS device tucked safely in the glove box that they chose not to turn on, or listen to! WOW!

The next day as Mom and Dad headed for our kid's swim meet they decided to use the Tom Tom and "listen to it". Remarkably, they arrived at their destination at the prescribed time predetermined and stated on the Tom Tom. WOW!

So in prophetic fashion Mom conceded "you know the Tom Tom really works if you just listen to it!" So the Tom Tom proved formidable to Mom since it is easier than Dad to turn off and delivers much more reliable results as well when you listen to it!