Late or Early?

or Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

I am generally on time or at least I try to be. I am pretty good at estimating how long something will take and as long as I have a clock around, I can usually make it to wherever I want to be on time. I have two clocks that I depend on to help me with this--the clock above the door to the garage and the clock in my car. One tells me when it's time to leave and the other lets me know how I am doing in traffic. With these trusty clocks, I am usually on time or a little early. That is until recently. Some how they both started to be off unbeknownst to me.

First I discovered the car clock was not telling me the time I thought it was. Over the years, it had gradually gained time so that it was several minutes fast. In reality the amount of time had not changed, but I liked to think that I had "extra" time when I checked this clock. However, one day, I found my "extra" time had disappeared. I was dropping Wally off at work and he was a couple of minutes late. I told him not to worry because the clock was fast. He told me that it wasn't anymore. He and Theo had set it to the correct time for me, BUT, they somehow neglected to tell me. So all of those times that I thought I had been right on time, I had been late. I appreciate the effort they made in helping me, but darn, I needed to know about it.

Next I discovered that the clock over the door was not correct either. This clock supposedly calibrated itself every couple of minutes with the atomic clock in Colorado. I never questioned its time and until recently, I didn't have to. However, I noticed that all of the TV programs were coming on "early" and I started paying attention to it. I discovered that it had had been losing time and was running slowly. So all of those times I thought I was leaving on time, I was actually leaving late. No wonder, the commutes seemed to be taking longer than they usually did. I was leaving later than I thought.

For now, all of my clocks have been fixed and are showing the correct time. If I'm late or early for something, it is of my own doing--not because I didn't know what time it is. If this clock confusion keeps up, however, I may have to join the rest of the 21st century and use my phone to see what time it is. However, that means that I would have to charge it regularly--something that eludes me at this point. But that's another story.

Are you one who is always early or always late? Do you set your clock ahead so you will be on time?

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But Wait, There's More
 In case anyone wants to take a walk down memory lane with Chicago's Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, here's a You Tube link.