Late

I’ve never been fond of being late. Some say arriving late is fashionable, but it’s never been my style. I think I inherited that from my father, who was always punctual. I prefer to arrive early and wait a bit rather than make others wait. I do get a bit frustrated with people who are consistently late. It makes me wonder why they don’t just leave a little earlier. If you know you’re often running behind, the logical solution is to allocate extra time in your schedule.

Part of the issue may be that chronically late individuals are often overly optimistic about time. They tend to believe there’s no time gap between deciding to leave, putting on shoes, finding keys, and starting the car. Additionally, they underestimate travel time, commonly thinking a trip that always takes at least fifteen minutes will only take five. Punctual people can feel quite irritated by constant lateness. However, I doubt late people feel the same irritation toward those of us who arrive on time or a bit early. For me, punctuality goes beyond watching the clock; it’s about respect. When you agree to meet someone at a specific time, you’re making a small promise.

Everyone is occasionally late due to traffic, public transport issues, overrunning meetings, or life’s interruptions. However, habitual lateness, where someone expects others to wait, is a different matter.