The Longest Way

Story Sent in by Anthony:

Eve was late to our first meeting. I had come from the library so I had a book with me, but if I hadn't had that, the time would've dragged. She came in (we were at a restaurant) 20 minutes late and apologized.

"Sorry," she said, "I like taking the long way, sometimes."

I took it as a joke and we had a nice dinner. Afterward, I thought we could visit the carnival that had opened up at the local fairgrounds. We took our separate cars. It was perhaps (with traffic) about 10 minutes away.

I parked there and looked around for her. After another 10 minutes, I called her. Had she perhaps stopped somewhere on the way? But she told me over the phone, "I didn't stop anywhere. Just taking the scenic route! I should be there in 10."

That would mean that it would have taken her a half-hour to drive what I had done in 10 minutes. "What route are you taking?" I asked her, "Do you have GPS? I can probably direct you here if you're having trouble."

She said, "No, I'm good. I usually have the GPS take me the longest way."

"Why?"

"It's okay. I don't mind it. I'll see you in 10."

Fifteen minutes later she pulled into the parking lot. I had spent the better part of an hour waiting for her. I noticed that despite the fact that she had meandered her way to the fair, she walked in a straight line from her car to where I waited.

We wandered around the fair, went on a couple of rides, and I won her a prize. For the last part of the night, I had planned to take her up to Wright's Ridge which is an overlook from which you can see the town and a whole mess of stars. I wasn't planning on trying anything, but thought we'd play it by ear.

It was a delicate situation, though. I knew that taking separate cars would likely make her more comfortable, but I also had a feeling that I'd be up there by myself like some loser creep if I had to wait three hours for her to wander her way up there. In the end, I told her we'd take separate cars and I'd meet her there.

Of course, I arrived there first. It was perhaps a little over 10 minutes from the fair to the ridge. I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

After 20 minutes, I called her and asked if she was still coming.

She said, "I'll be there. There are just a lot of roads between here and there."

I said, "There are maybe three roads I took to get here. Which way are you taking?"

She said, "I see signs for La Grange. I'll be there soon."

"La Grange is south. It's in the complete opposite direction."

"I know," she said, "But no matter how long the way is, we still get to where we need to be."

She hung up. I left. I have no idea if she ever made it to Wright's Ridge, or if she continued all the way down to Florida on her detour.