A couple from the Midwest was vacationing in the Pacific Northwest. They were a bit befuddled when they got out here because the roads generally conform to the undulating topography rather than being laid out in fairly systematic grids, but they were learning to cope.

They spent some time in Portland, Oregon, and on their way to Seattle, they decided that, rather than just heading up Interstate 5, they'd follow the coast as far north as the Aberdeen/Hoquiam area, then swing east and go through Olympia and Tacoma on their way to Seattle. After leaving Portland and crossing the Columbia River, they followed I-405 for awhile, then started feeling a bit uneasy. A bit lost.

"I'm going to stop at that little store up ahead," said the man, "and try to find out exactly where we are."

He walked in and asked the old gent behind the counter, "Could you tell me what county we're in"

"Wahkiakum," said the man.

"What was that town back there that we passed through a while ago?"

"Cathlamet."

"What's the next town up the road?"

"Skamokowa," said the man.

When he got back into the car, his wife said, "Okay, where are we?"

"I have no idea," her husband said. "They don't speak English here."

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It had to happen. There is a George, Washington. It's in the central part of the state, east-northeast of Ellensburg.

Don Firth