It isn't natural

Early people and late people should not hang out together. It isn't natural. Someone always gets hurt.

I am supposed to meet my friends across town for the big Day of the Dead decorating session at 7 p.m. They have to unlock the building.

They are late people. I am an early person. I am sitting here at 6:56 with my stomach clenched trying to figure out just how late they will be. I don't want to be too late but I don't want to sit in the parking lot in the dark for an hour, either.

Is 7:30 too early for the late people?

The funny part is, that to my family, I am the late person. Because they are always half an hour early.

I grew up with my dad sitting out in the driveway with the car running as the rest of us scrambled around to find our missing socks, rushing so we could arrive somewhere an hour before it opened.

When I drop the dog off in the morning at my folks' house, if I am 2 minutes past my usual time, I ALWAYS hear about it. ALWAYS.

I know if I don't leave my house within a four-minute window of time, it will be commented on, either "You're early!" or "You better get going! You're late!"

So it's built into me to be neurotic about time. And I can't understand how anyone could ever be relaxed about being late. But late people can't understand what all the fuss is about.

The two trying to get along never works - it's like cats and dogs, living together...just not natural.