[This rant is a result of a request in response to my rant meme by spunkylizard. He asked for a rant on “people who are late for everything, and not just five minutes late, which has become acceptable and within the norm, but folks who are over 30 minutes to hour and a half late.” Do you want a rant? Then reply to the rant meme. Lastly, please note that this is not a rant about my family.]
[Climbs up on soapbox, clears throat, and begins]
Of course, spunkylizard has to post his rant request late, typical.
Now, I’m Jewish. This means I’ve gotten used to JST. For those not familiar with the term, JST refers to Jewish Standard Time, which is ½ hour late. Actually, it should probably be Israel Standard Hour, ISH, for that’s how folks refer to it. Please come to dinner at 4ish. Show up at 4, and you’re too early! 4:30 is just fine. So, I’m used to ½ hour late.
But c’mon folks. ish I understand. Double-ish. Nope. Treble-ish. Fugghedabohutit. If you’re going to be that late, don’t bother. You’re just going to find me pissed anyway. So call me with some lame excuse to CYA, and slink away into the corner.
You see, when you are late to something, you are indicating that you are putting more value on your time than my time, which conveys a message about how you value me. Now some variance is permitted, because there are things out of our control: traffic, weather, cows with guns on the road, rabbis popping out of holes (but that’s a different post). But if you’re going to be late, just call me. I can then adjust my schedule instead of sitting and waiting. You think you can’t call me? Two words: cell phone. If that doesn’t work, how about these: pay phone. Can’t figure out that either? How about carrier pigeon? Don’t think you can take the time to get off the road and call? C’mon, you’re allready 90 minutes late: Do you think the extra five will make a big?
Sheeze!
Of course, if you do provide a verifiable good excluse (hospital receipts are good), I’ll likely forgive you, but don’t do it again.
[Climbs down from soapbox]
