I hate being stood up. There are very few things I hate more in human relations. And I’m not talking about a date type scenario. I’m talking about two or more friends/associates/whatever meeting at a specific time and a specific place. Being stood up is when one or more people do not show up at the arranged time or place due to controllable circumstances without communication.
I was supposed to go to Knott’s Berry Farm today with my friend and coworker. We had planned on meeting at my store at 2:45 pm and leave at 3. Normally I get off at 6, so I made special arrangements to leave early. To be safe, I tried to call her cell phone at 11:30 am. No answer. I called again at 1:30. No answer. Again at 2:30. No answer. I called before I left for home at 3. I left a message every time.
I get home and find out that the phone has been disconnected by the phone company. I expect because the bill was not paid. Why was it not paid? Don’t ask me, my roommates pays all of the bills, I merely give her the money. Hmmmm.
My other roommate delivers a note for me, left by the person I was supposed to go to Knott’s with, after I got back from going out and watching the movie 3000 Miles to Graceland (don’t get me started on that one!) with Travis. She was having white streaks put in her hair. She also did not try to call me until after 4pm.
Here is the point to all of this… it’s a little misused and misunderstood word called COMMUNICATION. I’m going to give you a little secret to human relations that will make a lot of things clear and easy:
Communication is not a lie.
Yes, it’s true. If you communicate, people will listen. More importantly, we can all work together.
You see, if she had called in the morning and said “Hey, Isaac, I am getting my hair done today and it might run a little over…” that would have been a different story. If she had called with any sort of a warning. But, no, instead I get to sit and wonder what is going on. And this mess with the phone getting disconnected. Phone’s do not get magically turned off. And they do not get turned off without warning. If the bill is not getting paid, if something is wrong, I thing I should be entitled to know about it. Even a “Hey, the phone company said they are turning off the phone in two days…” No matter what the reason. If the bill did not get paid, I’m not going to get upset. Not in the least. Let’s just get it paid. Now, having the phone get shut off. That upsets me greatly. I use the phone quite a bit and it is not okay for me to be in the dark about something like that.
I suppose I am more “venting” than “ranting” and more “babbling” than “speaking” but communication is very important. The small stuff is very important. Meeting your commitments is very important. I understand that people make mistakes. Things get misscheduled, bills do not get paid, whatever, y’know? Just let me know. And I’ll do the same.