We all know one, sometimes more than one. A friend, partner, or associate that is always late.
Not just sometimes.
Every time.
Always.
We, being the friend, partner, associate, or significant other, are often tempted to excuse, to forgive; if only in an attempt to save the relationship or minimize conflict. Or, sometimes as the the situation dictates, to tolerate the behavior where we must.
So, this one’s for you; you know who you are.
. . .
Being late is not cute. It’s not endearing. It’s not even “just who she is.” [Feel free to substitute any pronoun there.]
Being late is disrespectful, uncaring, and yes, especially, rude.
True, there are the (rare) legitimate circumstances when punctuality is impacted by unavoidable or unpredictable events. My observation is that in 99% of cases, they don’t apply. You did not have a flat tire on the freeway during rush hour. Your child was not taken to the emergency room. A large meteorite did not plummet from the sky into your living room.
It’s more likely you simply failed to manage your time effectively, if at all. You started to get ready too late. You didn’t allow enough time to commute or drive. You failed to do any pre-reconnaissance, such as at least having the vaguest idea on which side of town the meeting was.
Being late conveys the message that you don’t respect the time of others. It’s your schedule that matters, it’s all about you. No matter that everyone (be it a single person or a group) made the effort to be present at the appointed time, you’ll get there when you get there, and they’ll darn well wait.
Now, I’m sure that’s not how you think about it; likewise, I’m sure that you don’t think about it at all.
There’s (almost always) no justification, no excuse, and no, it’s not cute.
Have some respect, be on time.
Failing that, at least communicate an accurate prediction of when you will arrive, and apologize for your tardiness.
Your friends, associates, partners, neighbors, and I will appreciate it.
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This post was previously published on a Few Words.
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