What Time is On Time?

I was once asked that question in a job interview. For that interview, I had shown up about ten minutes early at this man's martial arts Dojo for the interview, and my potential boss had shown up to open the doors about five minutes late, according to my watch. So, since he knew I was coming for the interview, it sure seemed like a dick move for him to not be on time himself, especially because it was raining that day. But the way he explained his feelings on being “on time” completely erased that feeling. According to him, it's a sign of respect to be early. The subtext is that your employer's time is more valuable than yours. As hard as that may be on your ego to think about, it's hard to disagree with. He's the one cutting the check. The Sensei told me how how he did occasional stunt work on movies. He would always show up a minimum of four hours early and wait. His scene could be in the afternoon, and he'd show up bright and early in the morning. All that waiting paid off for him, because the director knew that he could count on him. Knowing that you are the first person on someone's mind, especially when that person is making things like job or casting decisions, you can't put a price on that.

I remember the first time I heard time being described as something other than time. It was on my ill-fated few days at Vector Marketing, AKA Cutco, when I heard the phrase “Vector Time,” which meant fifteen minutes early. I've since referred to it myself as “Sales Time,” since the principal applies to any job, but sales specifically. The other person is busy, and you want something from them. So you don't keep them waiting. On time is fifteen minutes too late.

When I did Mobile DJ gigs, I would always try to show up an hour early for the gig. Note that word “try.” I didn't say “did.” The thinking is that it took about an hour to set up. Sometimes I would show up early and there'd be another gig in the same banquet hall, or just some rule, and I'd have to wait in the parking lot. I've been late, and could set up my gear in as little as ten minutes, especially if I didn't have to put on my tux. But I should have never been late. I really should have aimed to set up at least 90 minutes ahead of time for one simple reason: Murphy's Law. Whenever something can go wrong, it will. Maybe you almost forget your good shoes, or you spend a few minutes more in the bathroom than you expected. Now you're five to ten minutes late. Maybe there's traffic. Maybe there's bad weather. I remember one gig I had, before I bought a GPS, I read the Yahoo Map wrong, and confused exit 40 with go 40 miles and then take the exit. But even without that, the day was inauspicious from the start. It was a torrential downpour, and I was going way out to some part of another state I'd never even heard of. So, the smart thing to do would have been to aim for showing up two hours early, and if the trip took only a half an hour, well that's what books and iPods were made for. But, I didn't have it together, and I was late. Real late. Refund late. The customer service people at the company took the brunt of it, and it even turned out that the people I screwed up the gig for was trying to pull a fast one, asking the company for a less expensive service, but asking me personally to perform my regular service. But just because their hands weren't clean, it had nothing to do with my poor performance, and letting down a room full of people who were counting on me to do my job.

On the other side of that coin is what I call “Irish Time.” I don't say this to be prejudiced against Irish people, but the most habitually late people I know are all Irish. I dated an Irish girl, and she was always a half an hour late. At least. My brother married an Irish girl, and they literally put the wrong time on their wedding invitations because they knew her side of the family, especially her father, would never show up on time. But if you're always late, you've got a built-in excuse. They should know better than to expect you to be on time. It works better in a friendship setting than a professional setting.

But, along those lines, you pretty much have to go through the same routine, wear the same clothes for work, and take the same route. So, once you get used to getting out of bed at a particular time, it's just auto pilot. When you're going to a club, a movie, meeting your friends, going to someone's house, you have a ton of decisions to make, everything from the weather, who will be there, the chance of meeting someone new, the desire to wear those cute new shoes, and you really gotta have to coordinate that outfit, and you haven't even started on your hair. Not that I'd know anything about that. I've had the same look since 1995. Kurt Cobain may be dead, but his spirit lives on in my ugly-ass flannel and same exact style of jeans that I've worn for over a decade.

But there are times when it pays to be early. Literally. You don't want to have a doctor waiting for you, you'll just be pushed to the bottom of the list. If you're in a band and you can set up quickly, your fans won't have to wait for you. If you have a job to do, you'll have a lot more time to recover from disasters, which will, on a long enough timeline, absolutely happen. Any part that moves is a part that can break. So, if you have time to find a solution, that'll do wonders for your nerves.

Be patient. I know it's easier said than done. But be the guy who waits, and you'll find good things happening for you. I find it always helps to have an iPod with me. Helps pass the time.