John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment# 140: You're Late!

"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can't get it back."

-Harvey Mackay

Weekend Assignment#140: Ever been really late to something really important? Share your adventures in tardiness! Yes, if you've ever slept through or forgotten a date, or neglected to get something out of the oven on time...with hilarious results or otherwise...we want to know.

Extra Credit: Do you wear a watch?

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Ok, here's where you learn the boring truth about me... I am NEVER late. I am compulsive about it. If I have an appointment or if I make plans to be at a certain place, at a certain time, I will mow over heaven and earth to make it there on time. It has been a pet peeve of mine, since I was a child, that sometimes someone I will have an appointment with, will show up late, like at the doctor's office for example. The doctor I had before my current one, would get around to seeing me, as much as an hour late sometimes. Uggg. Now I know that sometimes unexpected things happen, especially in the medical profession, but when I asked her nurse one day if the doctor made a habit of being late, her nurse answered... "Yes." Uggg.

When I was dating Alan, one day I jokingly told him that I like to be on time for things, something he and I saw eye to eye about. I also told him that if he was late picking me up, I would wait as long as 15 minutes, then I would leave without him. LOL. And he not only agreed to that, but promised to do the same! LOL. He and I were never late for each other, and if we thought we would be, we called. That's just us. LOL.

I do recognize that sometimes being early to an appointment, can be just as frustrating to a host or hostess, as showing up late can be. I have learned that lesson over the years, and try my best to time my arrivals within 5 minutes of the agreed upon time. :) I bet you are wondering why I am so picky about time. Well, it goes back to when I was a child.

One day my mother, who was notoriously late for everything, took me to school later then she should have. All my classmates had already gone in the class, sat down and had their work ready for our teacher. In I walked, 15 minutes late. Suddenly, 35 faces all turned at once and stared at me. YIKES! That was it! From that point on, when it was within my control, I was on time!

Extra Credit: Nope, while I do won an extensive watch collection, I rarely wear them. :)

-OndineMonet
"Tiffany's Time"
Union Square
San Francisco, California
November 24th, 2005
11:45 AM