“The military life marked me as one of its own. I’m accustomed to order, to chain of command, to a list of rules at poolside, a spit-shined guard at the gate, retreat at sunset, reveille at dawn, and everyone in my world must be on time. Being late was unimaginable in the world I grew up in, so I always arrive at appointments early and find it difficult to tolerate lateness in others. I always know what time it is even when I don’t carry a watch.“
At 66, I am still 5 minutes ‘early’ to appointments, only to sit there sometimes and wonder why “they” are 20 minutes late – and seem not to care about it at all?
I don’t carry a watch either, but I have a “keen” sense of time. I am usually within 5 minutes when asked the time, and hardly ever more than 10 minutes ‘off.’ Last summer, when I was over in the Amish country, about 3 hours from my home, I was asked by a friend what time I would be home. Looking at the clock in my SUV, I told her I would be home at 1643 hrs. I subsequently pulled in my driveway at 1643 – just driving normally!