Lost in Rochester

        Lost in Rochester

Suzanne Marsh

I lived in a small farming community with big city dreams of becoming a concert pianist, ergo my trip to Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. I took route thirty one into the city proper, even that was jammed up with traffic, people going in all directions. I had driven in worse so with that thought in mind I began to look for the school of music. No one had told me about all the one way streets that would soon be going the wrong way from where I needed to go. I had made arrangements with the school, so I would not have a problem parking. I didn’t think I would have a problem getting lost, after I had the written directions the school gave me.

The first street that looked as if it might take me to the school was going the wrong way from the way I wanted to go. ‘No problem’ I thought, I would just go right at the next stop sign, that would take me back to where I needed to. One street turned into another and another until I had no idea where I was, much less how I was going find my way out of “Skinner’s Rat Box”, I had already been on the “Can of Worms” and gotten off that was how I got onto the street I was currently on. Back in the old days there were no cell phones, the best I could do was to find a pay phone and call the school. Easier said than done, there were no small stores in the area, I had no idea how to get out of this section. Those streets were worse than a maze, everything was one way, the wrong way actually.

I glanced at my watch, I had less than an hour to get to the school for my first piano lesson from the school, I did not want the professor to think I was habitually late instead of habiutally lost. Since time was not my side, I began to retrace my steps, I could see Eastman but just could not get to it. This was becoming a huge problem, I hate being late, and I hate being lost, together I was becoming very frustrated, confused and aggravated. The more aggravated I became the more wrong one way streets I went up and down. I have no idea how people find their way around Rochester at least in that area.

I circled Eastman on the other side of the building, thinking if I came in from the back I could get to where I needed to be in the front, apparently that was not the most logical thought I ever had!

I exited where a sign pointed to, fool that I was, finding myself back on a one way street. I gave a sigh, thought about how I was going to get out of this maze, more like rat box. I had no clue which way to go so I followed the street, which took me to another right hand turn. It was time to either find someplace to stop and ask directions or pull out my map of Rochester. I chose the latter, that was not the best choice I ever made, since I am not particularly adept at reading a map. I pulled over and parked the car for a moment, I opened the map to where I had circled Eastman, there it was I was less than a mile with a straight shot . I was getting excited knowing I was almost there. I began to move slowly down the street, then I noticed it was CLOSED; that was not going to help me in the least. I proceeded to turn around, fortunately this was a two way street. Once turned around I was lost again; I needed to get out of this one way street box. I finally found a street that would take me back to Route thirty one, at last an opportunity to find a pay phone!

Not only was I now an hour late for my first piano lesson, I was lost, in a huge city. I saw a small diner, I pulled in, by now I was also getting hungry. I could ask directions, eat, call the school and still be home on time. Does the quote: “the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray” mean anything to you who are reading this? I was beginning to understand exactly what it meant and why it is so very true. I order bacon and eggs then proceeded to call the Eastman School of Music:

“Hello, Eastman School of Music, this is Brenda, how can I direct your call?”

I explained to Brenda my predicament, much to my chagrin I found myself explaining:

“I am lost, I have no idea where I am much less how to find you people.”

Brenda then gave me directions; all streets I had been on at some point that morning. I told her I would be there within the hour. I followed the direction, only to find myself in that damn maze once again, it made the “Can of Worms” look tame. I made a turn on the next street, I was now going down the wrong way on a one way street. Horns began to blare, traffic on the street was backing up. Then came the final culmination a patrolman on a huge chestnut motioning me to put my window down:

“Lady, you can’t just sit in the middle of the street, back up and turn around.” I panicked and in a squeaky voice and tears appearing in my eyes, I rolled down the window:

“You aren’t going to give me a ticket are you? I am lost and confused.” The officer climbed down from his horse, with the reins in his hand:

“Lady just exactly where are you attempting to go? You are going to have to back up and

turn around.”

I was on a roll:

“I can’t, I cried I’ll hit a car, all I want to do is go to the Eastman School of Music. I

have been lost since eight this morning. I have been up and down every single street

in this maze. I am tired, and aggravated.”

I guess he took pity on me, he remounted, clomped down the street so a dozen or so cars could back up. I then turned the car around, the officer then told me to follow him. He took me done one street to the back of the school, apparently I was not the only that got lost, there were three other cars that had directly behind me that were on the same one way street.

As the officer began to ride away, I called out:

“Thank you for all your help” he replied:

“No problem lady, this happens to me almost every day.”

With that statement he rode off.