Appointments

Have you ever been late for an appointment? Have you ever been early to an appointment?

I'm sure you can answer yes to both questions. The real question is how early is too early and how late is too late to keep the appointment. Do you call if you are running late?

I hate being late. I typically will call regardless of the reason for the appointment or date if I'm even running a few minutes late. It's called respect and consideration. I expect the same in return - because my time is just as important as yours or the next person.

My dilemma comes from how early is too early? Especially if it is an appointment at someone else's home. I try not to be more than five or ten minutes early, unless it's something that had been discussed before. This morning I found myself with an extra 30 minutes to kill, because 30 minutes is just way too early!

I arrived exactly at my appointment time to be greeted by a woman in a short bathrobe and nightgown on the phone. She told me she was on an important phone call and it would be a while. Then, she realized who I was and why I was there. She welcomed me in, while continuing her phone call. She made space for me at her kitchen table while she continued pouring over paperwork on the floor of her living room. I sat there for what seemed like 15 minutes, before the rest of her family came downstairs from their slumbers to meet with me.

Talk about awkward. I can only imagine if I had showed up 30 minutes earlier! At least they would have been ready by the appointment time!