In the late 90s or very early 00s I was sent to Boston for a class. I was given a rental car to get around in and had a bunch of hardcopy maps to get me to the hotel and the classroom.

I’ll call the rental company Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Car Rental. Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Car Rental was pretty much an off-brand outfit and wasn’t located by the other rental companies. Their shuttle took me from the airport to a place far away with no signs.

As I collected the car, I asked how I’d get back there to return it. I was offered no maps or written directions. I was told in a very fast, very ugly Boston accent how to get back. I figured that I’d call later and work it out then.

On the day that I was to return, I gave myself a couple of extra hours for finding Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Car Rental. I called them, got directions, and carefully wrote them down.

I soon found that the only way that these directions resembled the way to Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Car Rental was that they both mentioned Boston. The directions did get me to the airport but they weren’t supposed to. I did find the cluster of other car rental places but not Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Car Rental.

I followed a couple of likely looking turns and found myself in downtown Boston. At least I found signs that led me back to the airport.

As I was driving to the airport I devised a plan. I would circle the airport until I found a shuttle for Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Car Rental. Then I’d follow the shuttle. After a few circles, I was getting ready to despair.

However, the shuttle for Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Car Rental soon materialized in front of me and I started stalking it. We soon waded thru the labyrinth of the airport roadways to Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Car Rental.

In these days of cell phones and GPSs this may seem like a pretty arcane problem but in those days, I spent a lot of time getting lost.

It never once occurred to me to ask for directions.