Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Gertrude with an Attitude

My dad got a new GPS system, which he named Gertrude. He said that Gertrude sometimes gets an attitude if he doesn’t take the route she sets up for him. He said he has actually heard her sigh and grumble before she says that familiar word, “Recalculating.” I don’t hear it with my GPS system, so I guess he must have gotten the upgrade to “Gertrude with an Attitude.”

I was telling a delivery driver about my dad’s experiences, and he said he’d love to have the “Gertrude with an Attitude” software. He said he’s driving all the time, and it would be funny to have her say things like, “Left! Left, dammit! I said left at the next street! No, your other left!” or “You missed the turn, you idiot…again!” or “Why am I even here? You obviously don’t feel the need to listen to a word I say. Fine! If you think you can do it better than me, then you find the best route!”

I know I’d enjoy having this software with me when I’m taking trips by myself. It would be just like having my wife in the car with me!