A day in the life of English Yankee

So - I know I usually write my blog entries as differences or similarities between England and America, but today I thought I would do something different. I had a some-what unique day, and maybe this will help to enlighten some people about the day in the life of an English yankee. Or not...! lol.
So I drove an hour and a half to get from Tampa to Orlando (or O-town as the cool crowd would say). I stopped off at an exit to get something to eat. The interstate (motorway) signs show labels of what is nearby at each exit. As I exited to go to a nearby McDonalds... once I had actually got off the interstate another sign told me that McDonalds was 1.3 miles away. Seriously... how is that close? Ok so I'm driving and driving. I pass car dealerships. I pass about 5 traffic lights and I think to myself - ok where is this McDonalds. So I stop over somewhere and I click on my 'where is it at app' and find the nearest McDonalds and find that actually I needed to backtrack and turn left somewhere. Ok - so for those people stopping at this exit to eat McDonalds as the sign indicated, how would they know to turn left. Ok...!

Once I get my food, I'm back on the interstate. I pull up my e-mail to tell me directions to the downtown library which I am visiting for the first time. Find it with little trouble. And then pull into a nearby parking garage.
Since I got here a little bit earlier than the person I was meeting with I decided to get my computer set up. Turns out I need a library card to get internet access. Seriously. Ok - so my drivers license contains my address in Tampa and so I've never been able to get a library card for Orange county. I ask them if there is anyway to get a temporary library card and they say no. I say - what if I can get some paperwork faxed to you in the next 5-10 minutes which shows my Orlando address (at this time I'm wondering who I can ring to fax some papers over). None of this works. So, basically I can't get a library card today.

I decide to go on facebook and try to see if I can put the word out there and see if anyone can please please give me their library card number so I can get online. Got the help of someone kind enough to help, although wasn't able to get it. So - I decide to try something else. Behind me is an old man on his computer watching 'nasty' You-Tube videos. So I approach him, and tell him my situation, and ask if there is any way that perhaps he would put in his library card number on my screen in order to let me access the internet. He says he can't. Ok seriously - you're watching porn and you won't even let me use your library card to do some practice exams on the internet. Whatever!

Luckily, once my friend arrived was able to access the internet. 4 hours later - leaving the library. Finally found my car. Turns out there are two sections to the parking garage, and I was in 4B which was on the other side. Not really sure how I got there - but anyway. 4 hours later, I'm paying $10 for parking. Seriously... !

Then I go to Walmart (supermarket) to pick up some things for dinner. As I am examining some cards, a woman in a wheelchair approaches. I move back to get out of the way. She says 'Its ok, you're not in my way, I came to ask you something.' She goes on to tell me that she has Rheumatoid arthritis and also 3 herniation in her back. At this point I am puzzled.. I'm not wearing my white coat or anything that would suggest I am a health care professional. Then she tells me that she has no money to get home. Ok seriously - she is in walmart shopping and she has a cart full of items. How can she pay for them if she has no money? I tell her I'm sorry I can't help.



What an odd day right? Anyway thanks to all those people that gave me those unexpected bit of kindness and also those that didn't lol (the man watching You Tube).