On the Way! On the Way!

Malaysians are known to be notorious time keepers. Let just said that punctuality is not something we really put any value to and being late or having to wait for someone is almost our second nature.

Nobody expects a wedding dinner to start on time, and because of that nobody will ever try to go to a wedding dinner on time and hence, when will we ever be ready to start a wedding dinner on time. Go figure ....

I for one, hate being late and I really hate waiting for anyone. But unfortunately, living in Malaysia and being a Malaysian, I have to get accustomed to it. Waiting for a client who turned up 30 minutes later with an excuse of `traffic jam' is a norm.

"Sorry..Sorry" he would said..."traffic jam...don't know why ar? So bad today...Normally, would only take me 10 minutes but today also don't know why. 30 minutes also can not move ...Sorry sorry." he would continue ...

And what would be our most common response, being as diplomatic as we can, while we control every urge we have to give him one of the `importance of being punctual' lecture ....."yes ar .....aiyoh..common lor...nowadays traffic is like that lar. Really cannot tell one hor .." with a forced smile ...

The other common expression that we would normally hear when we call someone who is already running 20 minutes on the cell phone ..."On the way...on the way!"

I was sitting in the coffee shop yesterday morning at about 9:30am having my `engine-starting' coffee. In came, a man in his forties with two of his friend. He looks like a contractor judging from his attire. They sat down and he ordered his coffee and was having a gay conversation with his friends. Then his phone rang ....

He picked it up and said "On the way. On the way already." and then puts it down.

Obviously someone on the other end of the line must be chasing him or asking him when he would be arriving. In an unhurried manner, he put down his phone, have another sip of his coffee, folded his legs and lighted a cigarette. He was obviously in no hurry to leave and seemed to be oblivious that someone on the other end of the previous conversation was either already waiting for him or will be waiting for him soon.

By the time I left 15 minutes later, he was still there with his cigarette, his coffee and his mates.

I too have my fair share of friends whom I known for a fact that when they said that they were `on their way' it simply meant that they have just left the house, or are about to leave the house, or worse yet, totally have forgotten the appointment but too ashamed to admit it and will be frantically getting dressed for the appointment.

So, if someone tells you the next time that they are 'on their way'...you can start ordering you next round of coffee or puff the next round of your cigarettes because you can be sure that the 'traffic jam' outside is going to be unexpectedly bad .........