Path question

[Phil]

This seemingly simple operation has me scratching my head.

I have a python script that I want to add to the system menu. I cannot 
run "python3 /path_to_the_script/thescript" outside of it's directory 
because "thescript" needs resources that are also in that directory. Of 
course, "thescript" will run from it's own directory 
(/home/phil/Downloads/Ink_spill).

In an attempt to solves this problem I've added the directory to the 
path but there's something odd going on here, as follows:

phil at phil-ThinkPad-T420:~$ cat $PATH
cat: 
'/home/phil/.local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin:/home/phil/Downloads/Ink_spill': 
No such file or directory

phil at phil-ThinkPad-T420:~$ cd /home/phil/Downloads/Ink_spill

pwd

phil at phil-ThinkPad-T420:~/Downloads/Ink_spill

cat $PATH indicates the directory doesn't exist but it does. What's 
going on?

-- 
Regards,
Phil