Late ≠ Flexible

I looked to my clock once again, just to make sure that I was not late for my job interview. I looked into the mirror. Hm,.. my hair was too long. Ah, I would have my hair cut, soon! My skin was white, at least whiter than what I expected. Nia, don’t worry, you were just going for an interview.

My little sister was running around me, teasing me and asking me about anything. “Cicik Nia (Sister Nia), what is interview?” “What would they ask?” “How many people would be there?” “Will you be in a room or outside?” Ah, a six-years old girl, she is so sassy.

I stepped in to my car. Since I cannot drive (and hate driving), a driver sat behind the steering wheel. Two o’clock, sharp! Great. I am in time. I should actually leave around 2.15, and I left earlier. I was still following a Dutch manner when I go to a meeting. It was good, but…

I arrived at 2.50 and walked to the fifth floor. Yes, 2.55. I liked it. “Hello, good afternoon, I have a meeting with Ms. Sandra.” A young lady sat behind a glass wall looked at me, strangely. “Ms. Sandra went out with her guest. Have you made an appointment with her?” “Oh yes, but I am probably too early.” I realized that I am in Indonesia and I couldn’t expect people being on-time; I needed to be flexible.

I sat in the middle of the room, in the middle of two glass office rooms. I chose to sit on a blue, rolling, office chair. I was still smiling when the time was 3.15. Ah, probably she was on a traffic jam, I thought. However, when the time showed 3.30, I became frustrated. It is unacceptable, I claimed in my heart.

“Miss, can you probably contact Ms. Sandra’s mobile phone?” I approached that lady again. She said she would try. I hate waiting (anyone like waiting?).

I started thinking, this is unfair. When I was still a student, I couldn’t come late to school. If I came late, I had to either bring a letter from one of my parents or a doctor explaining why I came late; or ask one of my parents to bring me to school. If I came late, without any explanations, I had to be punished: to write 500 times “I promise I will not come late to school”, to sweep school’s floor, or to do an assignment.

Thus, this manner should actually stick in every people’s head. People know that being late is bad, I am sure about this! And now, where is it? Where are your manners you learned at school?

I reckon, it has been so long grown-up people left school that they forgot that being late is bad, very bad. FYI, I have had four job interviews of which only one interview was conducted on-time. The worse was the first one. The place was really in the middle of nowhere and I had to wait for ages. In the end, I had to wait for the so-called result of the interview, yet they decided to postpone it and would let me know via e-mail. Thus, I waited for the result for nothing. My goodness!!

People, why are you coming late?
People, why don’t you realize the worth of time?
I ain’t saying that time is money, but don’t you agree that time is worthy?
I appreciate flexibility, but being flexible isn’t equal being late.

My job interview was finally started at 3.50. Her excuse? Ah, no excuse, she was just late and she forgot to bring her mobile phone.

Only heaven knows.