A Kind of Direction Summary and Analysis

Susan hears a story from the ranger at the Fakahatchee. He once received a call from a woman in Georgia who asked if any of the ghost orchids were in bloom in the swamp. When he told her there were a few flowering at the time, she drove to Atlanta, got a flight and drove the hours it took to get to the Fakahatchee. However, when she arrived, the orchids were finished flowering. The woman was not disappointed, however, and said she would happily return any time the flowers were blooming. Susan can relate to this drive and desire to see the ghost orchid in bloom and her relaying of the story seems almost like a warning to herself about what could happen if she fell for the love sickness with orchids in the same...