Lost in Toronto

     Toronto is a very well structured and organized city. Its main streets run north and south, east and west. Its public transportation system is simple and easy. Yet, I accomplished the feat of getting lost.

      It was an ordinary day. My classes had just finished when three of my peers invited me to go to the movies. I was a little tired, but I thought it would be a good way to unwind. So we went and I had a really good time. When the movie ended, we all headed to the subway station. All my classmates were supposed to take the northbound train, but for me, either north or southbound would work. However, I was more used to the latter. Since I was having a nice conversation with my friends on the way back, I didn’t realize I was going north. I got off when I heard a familiar station’s name.

      At the station, I was supposed to take a bus to go home. I wasn’t sure about which one I should take, so I tried to recall what my homestay mother had told me the day I arrived in Toronto; “You can take bus number 32, 32A or 32C to go to Eglinton West Station, but take only bus number 32 if you want to go to Eglinton Station”, she said. For a minute I just forgot where I was. Bus number 32A had just arrived and all I wanted was to go home, have dinner, and get some rest. Hence, I got on the bus.

      I knew it wouldn’t take long to get home, maybe four or five stops. Nevertheless, the night had fallen and it was dark outside. I couldn’t see a thing from the bus window. I got distracted by my thoughts and all of a sudden, I noticed it was taking longer than it should to arrive at my destination. I wondered if I was wrong. Perhaps my house was farther than four or five stops. How many stops had the bus made by then? Panic descended as it dawned on me that I had taken the wrong bus. Immediately, I messaged my homestay mother but there was no reply! There were only two passengers on the bus apart from me. The bus stopped. I got up and asked the driver, “Is it the final stop?” He nodded. I continued, “I might have gotten lost at some point. I was supposed to get off at Old Forest Hill Road…” As he told me, “Lady, you are far from home. This is Renforth, Mississauga.” MISSISSAUGA? Yes, I was far indeed! The driver then told me not to worry because he would be leaving back to Toronto in ten minutes, but it would take me another hour to get home. I thanked him and waited for the bus to leave.            

      When I finally arrived, my homestay mother and her boyfriend were waiting for me, trying not to laugh. However, they couldn’t help themselves and started making fun of me, “You should have asked the driver if that was the bus to Brazil”, said the boyfriend. In the end, we all cracked up and I promised myself I would always ask the driver beforehand about the bus destination, no matter what.