Why are some people always late?
A chronicle of contempt for chronometers.
Charlie Bamforth, Davis, California, US
• Because they lose time trying to get it together in time to go to keep an appointment.
Philip Stigger, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
• Passive aggression.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia
• Because they prefer to be late than have to wait!
Avril Taylor, Dundas, Ontario, Canada
• Because they would rather march to the beat of their own drum.
R De Braganza, Kilifi, Kenya
• It is a Law of Nature and Relationships that every couple has to consist of one person who is consistently late, and one who is fanatically punctual. To avoid upsetting the balance of the universe, and to keep blood pressure pill firms in business, half the population has to be late.
Geilan Toppozada, Sacramento, California, US
• On my first day working in Portugal, I was invited to join other faculty members for a lavish lunch in a restaurant. Halfway through, I announced that unfortunately I had to leave, because I had a class to teach in 15 minutes. “Sit down,” I was told, “we all have classes to teach. The students will wait.”
Nicholas Houghton, Folkestone, UK
• To teach us forbearance for what may in fact be fashionable.
Richard Orlando, Westmount, Quebec, Canada
• In the UK with all the train and flight cancellations, you’re not just late: you’ve also acquired a beard.
Roger Morrell, Perth, Western Australia
• One just has to be fashionable.
Tony Chiarletti, Palm Cove, Queensland, Australia
• The consequences are not significant enough to overcome habit. Almost everyone gets to an exam or aeroplane check-in on time.
Henrietta Sushames, Wellington, New Zealand
• Some are born late, some achieve lateness and others have lateness thrust upon them.
Patrick Alley, Auckland, New Zealand
• We are all late, eventually.
Maurice Trapp, Le Vigan, France
One has to keep the peace
When is doing the wrong thing to oblige someone actually the right thing to do?
If the wrongdoing will not harm anyone, then go ahead. I suppose I should say “ghastly” when a dinner party cook seeks comment on some appalling dish, but I invariably say “interesting flavours” or even “quite delicious”.
Ursula Nixon, Bodalla, NSW, Australia
• When I was a boy, no one but the post office could sell stamps – but shopkeepers could oblige their customers. Our post office was a mile away, so I was often sent to the nearby greengrocer’s for spuds when Mum had a letter to post.
John Standingford, Adelaide, South Australia
• When it keeps people happy and keeps the peace.
Jenefer Warwick James, Paddington, NSW, Australia
• To save them from self-destruction.
Peter Stone, Paddington, NSW, Australia
• When they can’t tell the difference.
C Stewart Patrick, Walnut Creek, California, US
• When you end up being happily married to him.
Marilyn Hamilton, Perth, Western Australia
Any answers?
Why can’t a woman be more like a man?
Susan Price, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
How about an 11th commandment for our tempestuous times?
John Ryder, Kyoto, Japan
Send answers to weekly.nandq@theguardian.com
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