3:14

You can set your clock by her. Nearly every day at 3:14 she pulls to the post office with her letters and packages to drop off. This is not a train or a bus, it is a postal patron. She doesn’t work at a regular job and her day is free to plan as she chooses, but almost without exception, she shows up with her letters and packages and wants to have help getting them ready.

It was almost three o'clock when I left the post office today. It closes at 3:15 each day. I visited with the postmaster for a few minutes as he got the afternoon mail ready to be picked up. The mail truck stops at 3:15 and he wanted to have everything ready to go. He looked out the window and wondered if she was going to be on her usual late schedule today. I thought about waiting to see this person for myself, but decided that I would do that another day.

It got me thinking about other people who are habitually late.  My neighbor was the local leader of the church and his wife was in charge of the music. She was always running late, even when everyone was waiting for her. Her husband held off starting church for 5 or even 10 minutes to allow her to show up. People kind of expected it and she rarely disappointed them.

Most of us at one time or another are late for a meeting or an appointment. It happens. Sometimes things are out of our control and it can’t be helped. We adjust our timing and make sure that we don’t do it again.

While living in Albuquerque, New Mexico a few years ago, we got a call from my wife’s Aunt in Utah. She had called to tell us that her husbands funeral was the next day and wondered if we could make it on such short notice. We asked why she hadn’t called sooner to let us know. It was a 10 hour drive to reach Manti, Utah from Albuquerque and we would have to drive all night to get there for the 10 a.m. funeral service. She told us that he hadn’t died yet, but they expected him to die during the night. They wanted to save money by avoiding the embalming costs. Utah allows 24 hours to bury the body before embalming is required. We hurriedly packed some things and headed to Utah not knowing if Uncle Mel would die during the night. Uncle Mel didn’t disappoint us. He did die during the night and we were there for the funeral service. I talked to the church leader later who informed me that he had never planned a funeral like that and hoped that he never had to do another one. Uncle Mel was on time for his own funeral.

I wonder if some of these habitual habits started when they were late for their own birth? I wonder if they might be late for their own funeral?

3:14? I’ll bet she is late for her own funeral but if she isn't, I’ll be sure to put some unfinished letters and packages on her casket  just to make her feel more comfortable.