Time & Tranquility

It’s my opinion there are two kinds of people, in regards to getting where you’re expected on time.

A friend told me when he went to a doctor or dentist, they had 15 minutes to take him back and start the appointment. If they didn’t do so, he left and didn’t pay co-pay. He believes he’s trained many a doctor with this method. In the same regard, when he has a client call for an appointment, he will be on time and will wait days for them to appear. It’s a matter of who holds the power. He does with the doctor and his client does in that circumstance.

Myself, I’ve always felt my time was not as valuable as the person I had the appointment with, so I’ve spent many hours waiting for the appointed hour, having been early. If the appointment was for 10 a.m., I’ll be there at 9:50 a.m. and wait until 10:30 a.m. for the other person to appear.

I have given thought to this. When a particular person is always 30 plus minutes late, the time for the appointment isn’t really 10 a.m. It’s really 10:30 a.m. I’ve adjusted by calling the person or office at five minutes to and asking if they are there. If they are not, I don’t arrive until 10:20 a.m. Once in a while they will be there, and have to wait for me. I don’t apologize for being late. I just arrive and begin the appointment.

The person who is always late, in fact almost precisely the same amount of time late under the same circumstance, believes their time is more valuable than any other person. They are willing to immediately say they are sorry to be late and are always primed to tell you exactly why they are late. The reason is always someone else’s fault. Whereas I knew your time target and all things leading up to that target I worked toward the goal. If someone tried to delay me, I told them I was sorry I had to go.

I don’t react by chewing them out. I react by taking a book to read. I’ve read many books this way.