NINE
Some Final Thoughts
A
friend recently told me a story that speaks to the theme of this book
and, incidentally, can save you significant hassles if you’re ever try-
ing to find an address in Coral Gables, Florida. This friend was
driving her daughter to a photo shoot in Coral Gables, several hours from
their home in Tampa. Because she had never been to Coral Gables before,
she checked a map to determine the best route to follow. All went well un-
til she arrived in town and started looking for street signs. There were
none. She drove for twenty minutes through unmarked intersections, no
signs in sight. Finally, in desperation, she stopped at a gas station and asked
how anyone knew which street was which. The proprietor wasn’t surprised
by her question. “You’re not the first to ask,” he nodded sympathetically.
“When you reach the intersection, you need to look down, not up. The
street signs are six-inch weathered stone blocks with painted names and
they are placed on the ground just off the pavement.” My friend heeded his