A friend of ours here in Bucharest recommended an ophthalmologist to us. I called to make an appointment in the middle of last week. Thankfully, there was someone there who could speak English.
She said that they could give us an appointment Tuesday at 3:00. I agreed and logged it into my mind. I also told my son, who was very eager to go to the eye doctor for the first time. I knew that if my memory happened to fail, his surely wouldn't!
After I got off the phone, we looked at Google Maps to see what we would need to do to get there. It estimated the trip to take 40 minutes. We decided to leave around 2:00 to give ourselves plenty of time to get there. We could take a bus from a stop close to our apartment, then switch to another bus halfway there. The doctor's building was a five minute walk from our last stop.
My kids kept telling me that it was predicted to rain the afternoon of the appointment. I wasn't worried about it. I knew that we could pray and God could change it. Well, it did turn out to be a cold and rainy afternoon.
We caught the first bus. As we were riding down the road, I checked Google Maps on my phone. Apparently it didn't recognize that I was on the bus and was giving me walking directions to the stop that we had just gotten on from. Edward later mentioned that in order for it to have followed my route with the public transportation properly, I would have needed to click, "start" before getting on the bus.
I tried my best to keep checking the map and the directions. I realized that unlike the subway, where the names of the stations are usually clearly seen on the station walls, I had no idea which stops were which. I haven't ventured out in too many different areas here. I was in trouble!
Our time was being eaten away. The windows on the bus were fogged up from the rainy weather. I didn't know who I could ask for help. I had my six and ten-year-old sons with me.
My 14-year-old called me to let me know where he and one of my older sons were. They do a lot of walking around the city and need to check in with me from time to time. He asked me where I was. I told him that I didn't actually know. I gave him the name of a hotel that I could see out of the window. He told me that I should have already gotten off. We got off at the next stop. Over the phone, he tried to walk me through what to do. It wasn't until after we hung up that I realized that one of my sons had left a bag with some of our things on the bus. It was too late.
The boys and I made our way back to where we were supposed to catch the second bus. There were so many shelters for bus stops in that location. I wasn't sure which one was for Bus 381. I looked down the sidewalk and saw that Bus 381 had just stopped. We ran to it. People were still exiting, giving us time to get there.
The GPS said that we would need to get off after four stops. My ten-year-old was counting the stops. I was paying attention to the monitor displaying the names of the upcoming stops. If only I had realized that on the first bus!
It was 2:40. At this point, our ETA was 3:09. I attempted to call the doctor's office to let them know that we would be late. An automated message came on telling me to try back later. I had to pay attention to what was going on, so I texted Edward. I asked him if he could call the doctor for me. I let him know that we were having trouble and running late. He responded that he would.
A few minutes later, my ten-year-old said, "We're going the wrong way! We're close to home! I asked him how he knew. He pointed out some familiar buildings. It was now about 2:49. This is a big city, and unfamiliar to me! I texted Edward again. "We just realized that we are completely going the wrong way. I don't know when we will get there. This is horrible." We tried to get off at the next stop, but the doors literally started to close on us, with one child already part way off the bus. He managed to get back on the bus. We rode until the next stop. I didn't know where we were at this point.
Edward called me. He let me know that my appointment wasn't actually scheduled for today, after all. I clearly remember her telling me, "Tuesday at 3:00." He went on to tell me that she said that the appointment wasn't today; it would be on, "Tuesday, the 25th." However, today is Tuesday, April 23rd. He clarified with her, "Thursday, the 25th?" She answered, "Yes. Tuesday, the 25th." Edward understood that this mistake was simply another example of something that got "lost in translation." Tuesday, Thursday, what's the big difference? They're written similarly, however, they are… two days apart! She spoke better than I do in any language, so I can understand.
The kids and I had just been getting off the bus to head back to the ophthalmologist's office when Edward had called me. After he broke the news to me, it took my brain a few moments to process it. I told him that I would keep going, and maybe I would make it there on time. I wasn't sure if he understood me. I figured that he was probably wondering if I had understood him! I had understood him, but it was my dry sense of humor letting him know that it might likely take me two full days to arrive at the proper time!
As much as it seemed like a waste, I suppose that it was a blessing. We apparently needed a trial run! Plus, we got to see parts of the city that we probably wouldn't have ever seen otherwise. God has a plan in everything!
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