“Slow down a little, so you don’t miss the forsythia on your right.”  The lovely voice of the PGPS reminded me of my grandmother.  Next she’d be inviting me to sample her gingerbread cookies.

I slowed down, and sure enough, there was a row of forsythia in full bloom.  I hadn’t been on this road in years and couldn’t remember any of the landmarks.  But my new PGPS would guide me to my unknown destination.

“Hyacinths ahead!  Roll down your window for a whiff!”  I quickly obeyed and was rewarded by a heavenly early spring fragrance.

“Smells almost as good as gingerbread cookies!”  My Personal GPS grandmother exclaimed. I giggled.  Barry had thought of everything! 

“Turn right at the next farmhouse, the one with the old-fashioned weathervane.”  I turned, watching the colorful rooster tilt in the wind. I still had my windows rolled down, and heard the faint ringing of wind chimes from behind the farmhouse.  I made a note for Barry to add that to his programming notes.  What fun to be married to an AI expert!  He’d taken our ordinary GPS and turned it into the perfect partner for my road trips.  I hated the old GPS, but this one had charm.  Too bad he hadn’t programmed it to remind him that today was our anniversary.  Instead of celebrating, he’d sent me on a trip to test out his new invention. Sigh.

I’d been rolling down this unknown road for a while with no word from Grandma.  Had she fallen asleep, the way my real Grandma used to do, sometimes in mid-sentence? 

“Blululuh!” I laughed aloud as the PGPS spluttered awake, just as Grandma would have done. “What did I miss?” PGPS copied her exactly.

“Turn around!” I followed her instructions.

“Now turn right.” This looked like a driveway.  Where are we going?

I rounded a corner and there he was!  My dear husband waited outside a charming bed-and-breakfast, both hands waving. His smile was as bright as the field of red tulips behind him.

“Happy Anniversary, my dearest Caitlin,” Barry and Personal-Grandma-Positioning-System crowed in unison.

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Juma