Is It Late, or Not Late?

OK, I knew why the kids were already in the car. But, why was Hubby ready to leave, and giving me that impatient look, when we still had 15 minutes, our destination was only 5 minutes away, and when someone says "come at 11" it usually means by then or soon after.

Knowing the answer, I still tried, "Honey, we have 15 minutes. Your Mom said come at 11." Hubby gives me that look. The look of "we've been married for 13 years, you haven't learned yet?"

Oh, why do I even try?

See, my family is a "fashionably late" kind of family. Hubby's family, ... well there is no "fashion" in being late. In fact, being on time is not even acceptable. You must be early.

During our first year of marriage we were invited to a co-worker's house for a cook-out. We were still unfamiliar with the area, and since this was in the pre-MapQuest and pre-GPS days we left with plenty of time (because we couldn't be late), however we were early.

Oh my were we early. Early as in, our hosts were still tidying up the house and in their work clothes early. (Maybe this story is more about how young and clueless we were. It didn't occur to us to find the house, then turn around and head to the nearest coffee shop and wait for the appointed time of the party.)

I should have known I was in trouble before we were married. One summer Hubby's parents picked me up on the way to a family reunion. We were early, 30 minutes early. The problem was EVERYONE else was already there. Yes, we were the last ones to arrive. Though the schedule said the gathering was not starting till 5pm, EVERYONE had arrived much, much earlier.

After 13 years of marriage we have made some head way. I've managed to slow him down, though 3 kids may have impeded us from leaving the house as quickly as we once did. Hubby has also sped me up, and now we are more on time.

But I still strive for "fashionably late." Hey, I'm a girl and I like anything dealing with fashion.