TDS: A friend of mine is coming here for lunch and asked me if we're on the north or south side of the street, but I'm a girl, I know left and right.
Me: Okay but you see how that's really not precise?
TDS: Guys know directions, girls know left and right.
Me: But you know where that street is right?
TDS points behind her.
I point behind me, the other direction.
Me: Okay. This is a problem. But it's easily remedied. Stop thinking in "holding a compass" kind of directions and just think in a more vague sense. Do you know where we are?
TDS: Yes.
Me: Do you know where the Valley is?
TDS: Yes.
Me: Okay, that's north.
TDS: Yes.
Me: Do you know where Disneyland is?
TDS: Yes.
Me: Okay, that's South.
TDS: Yes.
Me: Are we on the side of the street that is nearer to Disneyland or the Valley?
TDS: When I come here I turn left.
Me: Yes, and you're heading West? But what if he's heading East?
Awkward pause.
TDS: Is that left or right?
This continued for another 20 minutes. Some tears were shed, some voices were raised, and 5 minutes devoted to the ocean being West and the desert being East (even if you couldn't see them), but in the long run, the friend got here, and he came from two blocks South and less than a mile West. They're at lunch right now. I forgot to ask if she ever gave him NSEW directions.
