Dave Smith wrote:
>
> Nancy Young wrote:
>
> > If it's bugging everyone that someone is late, just start dinner.
> > I for one would not be offended. Of course, this would especially
> > apply to people who are chronically late. I think that is just plain
> > rude.
>
> I had a friend who was a bit of a crotchety old guy who had zero tolerance for
> late dinner guests, especially in-laws. If he planned dinner for 6 pm, dinner was
> served at 6 pm. If they showed up while the food was still on the table. But he
> had a habit of cleaning up promptly, so if they arrived after the others had eaten
> they were not fed.

I'd go pick out of the refrigerator. That's unnecessarily rough.

> As for the chronically late, let's face facts, the people who are late are usually
> the chronically late. In this day and age we all have telephones and many of us
> have cell phones.

You wouldn't catch me dead with one unless there were special
circumstances.

> If you are held up by some unforeseen situation you can always
> call and let your hosts know that you will be late. If you are one of those who
> is chronically late you had better start coming up with better excuses, and I
> might suggest being particularly entertaining guest or bring great hostess gifts
> to compensate for the chronic display of rudeness because some of us do not take
> kindly to having entertainment plans undermined by the same people time after
> time.

I most assuredly hope you are not talking about me. I'm chronically
on time. Usually the first one there, and my brothers lived closeby
my mother. Just once in a while, traffic grinds to a halt and, since
I don't have a flying or boat car, I am stuck there.

> > What really frosts me is when you plan to meet at a restaurant and
> > people come strolling in 45 minutes late. I hate sitting in the
> > waiting area like a rube.

> You have options. Go ahead and eat.

They will not seat an incomplete party at the restaurants we frequent.

> If the restaurant was not your choice, leave
> and go to the place you would prefer. But for goodness sakes, if this is a
> recurring problem you should reconsider dinner dates with those people.

I love them and I see them whenever I can. This lateness irritation
is well overriden by my enjoyment of their company. Doesn't make it
less annoying but we all tolerate flaws in our family and friends.
I was just bitching about it like everyone else in this thread.

nancy