Turn Around When possible...

My brother James has decided to go all high tech.  He has bought one of those navigating satellite things that sit on the dashboard of the car.  Apparently it’s going to be very useful whilst we are here in France.

I’m quite enamoured by the new gadget, myself, so I’ve decided to call him Thomas.  He’s got a very nice voice.  In fact, if he were human, with a voice like that, I’m sure he would be terribly tall, dark-haired and exceedingly handsome.  I have thought about inviting him into my sleeping bag.  His mellow dulcet tone telling me to ‘turn around when possible’ is bound to guarantee a decent night’s sleep.  But my brother James said I would only flatten his battery.  So, I have to be content with listening to Thomas only when we are in the car.  The problem is that James keeps interrupting him, as he did yesterday…

Renault Alpine - I want one of these!

There we were on the D92 with the intention of driving to the Manoir de l’Automobile on the outskirts of Lohéac.  Thomas was all set and knew exactly where he was going, I had the map and knew exactly where I was going, but James clearly had a completely different idea.

‘We’re going in the wrong direction,’ I said as we turned right towards Liffre.

‘No we’re not,’ said James.

‘Yes we are-‘

‘Turn around when possible,’ said Thomas.

‘-we were running parallel to the RN157 and now we’re heading north.’ I said.

‘No we’re not.  This is the ring road round that little town.  I did it yester-‘

‘Turn around when possible,’ said Thomas.

‘-day on my bike.  This is the right road.’

I glanced at Thomas for support but he was replanning and remained silent.  So I looked at the map and crosschecked.  ‘I really think you should stop.’

‘At the roundabout take the fourth exit,’ said Thomas.

But James went straight across.  ‘This ring road won’t be in Thomas’s memory yet.  It’s too new.’

I looked out of the window at the verge, which appeared to me to be anything but new.  ‘James,’ I said snapping the map book shut.  ‘We are heading in the wrong direction and I really think you should-‘

‘Turn around when possible,’ said Thomas.

‘How prescient!  You see, even Thomas agrees with me.’

A poster from the museum

At the entrance to a field James slowed and pulled over.

‘What does that sign over there say?’  I asked.

‘Liffre,’ said James.

‘Turn around when possible,’ said Thomas.

‘And what does that say on Thomas’ display?’

‘D92.’

I opened the map at the marked page and pointed.  ‘If that is Liffre and this is the D92 then we must be heading north.’

‘Alright,’ said James and he shifted back into first gear.

‘Turn around when possible,’ said Thomas, so I gave him a pat on the head.