I HATE Cary!!!!

Ok, so the title is a little misleading and not totally accurate.  I don’t really “hate” Cary – there are a lot of cool things in Cary and if you want some of the more specialized shopping, you really have to go there.  I really like what the Cross Roads Shopping Center area has to offer and really like Cary Towne Center.  But, what I really dislike (I won’t say hate, again) is getting around in that whole area.  I have never – yes, never is the correct word to use here – not even once – ever gone up there but what I left totally sorry I went!  I typically have a specific reason for going and rarely go just to “go”.  I almost always accomplish what I went for, but I still leave frustrated and irritated!  My biggest problem is the layout of traffic flows – both on the streets and in the shopping center areas.  No matter where you are, you can’t get to where you want to be without going 100 miles out of your way to get there – you can see where you want to go and you may even be right in front of it, but, unless you’re damn lucky, you will have to drive around the world to get to it!  And wherever you go, you have to go in the wrong direction, first, and then get turned around to the correct direction!  It is INSANE!!!  The directionally challenged should never be allowed to drive around in that area alone……….and I am a prime example!

So, today I wanted to take a drive up there to go to BJs and Best Buy.  I was pleasantly surprised that the traffic wasn’t too bad.  I went to Best Buy, first.  I bought a Kindle – I’ve been tempted to get one for quite some time and finally decided to do it.  Then, I went to BJs and stocked up on some things there.  From BJs, I went to Sweet Tomatoes for a late lunch of a delicious salad.  I also planned to see a movie that started at 4:50 at the theater in Cross Roads Shopping Center.  When I got done with lunch, I had some time to kill and realized I left Sanford without gassing up and I was just about on empty.  So, I set out to find a gas station.  I wanted to find one on a corner so that I could get back in the direction I needed to be in.  I thought there was one just up from where I left Sweet Tomatoes, but it was quite a bit further than I thought.  I made a U-turn to get to it only to find out it was CLOSED!!!   So, I got back on the street to go a little further in the opposite direction.  After not finding any other gas station and time was ticking to the movie, I decided to go back in the other direction again.  I found one a way’s past where the other one was, so I pulled in and got gas.  But, as I was leaving, I discovered that, although it was on a corner, I was only able to make a right hand turn and wasn’t able to head back towards the movie theater.  So, I turned right and then left at the next stop light.  I pulled into a parking lot to turn around so I could get back on the main street to head back in the right direction.  It wasn’t long before I realized I had no clue where I was and absolutely nothing looked familiar!  The street signs said the street name was one I’d never heard of and then, suddenly, I was at the intersection of Tryon Road.  I knew that was wrong!  So, I back tracked to see if I could figure out where in the hell I was and how I could get to the movie theater!  I found the parking lot I used to turn around in and discovered I just went the wrong way and was soon on the right track!  But, it was 4:45 and traffic was really starting to pick up.  And, of course, every stop light had a “Kim’s coming, turn red” sensor in it!  Uuuggghhh!  By now, my blood pressure is through the roof and I’m cussing at every light and car in my way!

I made it to the theater at 4:55.  I thought, that’s OK – they usually show a 1/2 hour worth of previews, which I generally really enjoy, so it won’t be a big deal to get there 5-10 minutes after start time.  Um, nope – not this time!  I walked into the theater and the movie was already playing – but, I was fine – couldn’t have missed much more than a couple of minutes.  Guess what happens next?  I walk into the dark theater.  I stand there for a minute to let my eyes adjust.  I carefully walk up the steps to the second row and turn in to take the first seat so that I don’t have to go too far in the dark.  What I soon discover is that I am on the transition step – not the one that is the walkway for that row!  I step towards the seat and there is nothing there to step on and I fall flat on my face on the floor between row 1 and row 2!  As I went down, I caught the top of the back seat in front of me with my rib cage!  The girl sitting in the seat turned around to see if I was OK.  I wasn’t sure that I was, but was too embarrassed to say so – I just said, yes and apologized for falling on her.  I got up and sat in my seat.  The good news is that I was late, so I didn’t buy any popcorn or drink – if I had, I (and the girl in front of me) would have been wearing it!!!!  I sat silently crying and wincing in pain while I tried to figure out what was going on in the movie.  It didn’t take long to realize that I could barely move my arm or shift in my seat without causing intense pain in my ribs!  After sitting there through the entire movie, I had all I could do to stand up.  I have a sore right wrist and right ankle – both of which must have twisted as I fell – a very tender right shoulder, and the entire right side of my chest is traumatized – front and back and side from just under my shoulder down to my waist!  I’m half convinced I may have cracked a rib or two.  I can’t get up from a sitting position, bend over, twist, reach, cough, sneeze, or laugh without bringing tears to my eyes!!!!  No visible bruising, though!

So, I got everything I went for and saw what turned out to be a really good movie, but got lost, irritated, and injured in the process!  Yes, I’ll say it again – I HATE CARY!!!!