Wednesday, April 23, 2008

On Time

Being "on time" is overrated. Most of us got the finger-wagging-stern-reprimand as children to be "on time" *or else*. Or else you won't ever be hired...you won't keep a job...you won't have any friends...you won't succeed in life...yadda, yadda, yadda.

I've been to the dentist more times this past month than I have in five years. Not once has my dentist been "on time" to my appointment. Once she called and said, "We are running behind, so don't come in for another half hour." When I got there, I still had to wait in the waiting room another half hour. But this isn't new to any of you. How many hours, do you suppose, you've wasted in the waiting room at the doctor's or dentist's office? Are they all a bunch of losers because they are constantly late? If so, I want to be a loser like that.

JG was only late once this week, by the way. So as long as she wants to be a doctor or a dentist, she will do just fine in life. Or she could be an artist. Everyone expects artists to be in their own little world anyway.

9 comments:

PJD said...

My nature is to be punctual. There are only two things that really get me truly agitated: (1) the possibility of being late, and (2) golf.

Speaking of late, I love the threat that Slartibartfast makes in Hitchhiker's Guide: "You'd better come with me, or you'll be late." "What?" "Late... as in the late Dent Arthur Dent."

Punctuality... how bourgeois.

bluesugarpoet said...

Poetroad also likes to be punctual. Too bad he married me. I lack time conceptualization.

Btw, while the dentist couldn't care the least about punctuality, the dental hygienist...well...I thought she might cancel our appointment when I arrived with JG one minute late. She told me, "we will try to do as much as we can seeing as you are late." Okay, she didn't put it *exactly* that way, but that was the gist of it. When she left the room, the receptionist told me, "Don't worry about it." I said, "Yeah, I waited a half hour for my appointment last time I was here. It would be nice if you all could give us a little grace."

bluesugarpoet said...

Punctual dental hygienists...how bourgeois.

Anthony said...

my son was late to school today. I am the driver. He is habitually late and I have told him I would leave without him, but he did not believe me. So, thanks to that great book you and Chandy recommended, I actually took the other kid and returned for the first one.

He asked for a note. I wrote:

This morning I decided that, instead of my son that was ready for school being slightly late, it was better to take him on time and let the one who was not ready be very late. This will not happen in the future: the next time I will not make a second trip and Michael will miss school altogether.

Warm Regards,
Anthony


He actually took the note from me. i do not know if he tried to use it.

Lily said...

BOL...this is spectacular.

I do not like to be late but I am right brained and therefore, by nature, non-temporal. I am usually very close.

If the doctor's office can't get me in within 15 minutes of the time I am scheduled for I make them reschedule. When the doctor is late, it really pissed me off. They make you wait 40 minutes, see you for two and then charge you $200.

I don't think so.

I'd talk about dentists but I don't actually go. But it makes me think of paying satan to hurt you.

Chris Eldin said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

I tried to read your six random things, but blogger wasn't letting me scroll past number 2 (and fear of vomit was intriguing, so I wanted to see the other 4!)

I'm always early. I hate rushing around, because I inevitably forget something. Plus I think it's rude. But alas, sometimes can't be helped..

:-)

bluesugarpoet said...

Anthony - fantastic idea regarding your son's lateness. I wish that you would have saved that note and framed it. Genius!

Christine - thanks for stopping by my blog. :) Being late is rude. Darn it! I wish I wasn't so rude all the time! (And, I wish I could blame my lateness on my kids.) BOL

Btw - I think I fixed the problem with the previous post. Thanks for pointing that out. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm chronically late. I was BC (before children) and am even more so now.

My mother lectures me time and again on how inconsiderate it is. I always tell her if that is my worst character flaw, I'm okay.

bluesugarpoet said...

So glad to know I am not alone in my chronic tardiness! You are so right - you are doing well (to quite well) if being late is your worst character flaw.:)