Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

I attended a court hearing recently. The attorney on the other side was the attorney I wrote about in another recent post, who got so bent out of shape that I called her during her lunch hour. I'll call her "O.A." since it can so conveniently mean either "obnoxious attorney" or "opposing attorney."

The hearing was scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m.

At 2:30, the Judge entered the courtroom. I was at my counsel table. My client was on the speakerphone, appearing telephonically from out of state. My client's ex-spouse was at the other table. O.A. was nowhere to be seen.

The Judge asked ex-spouse if O.A. was still representing ex-spouse. "Yes, she's just not here yet," replied ex-spouse.

So we waited. I looked at the clock somewhere along the way and it read 2:33.

Shortly thereafter, O.A. came dashing through the courtroom doors stating, "I'm so sorry to be a minute and 47 seconds late!"

"What?"

I looked at the clock in confusion - sure enough, it read 2:35. The Judge glanced at the clock, too, then looked back at O.A. and obviously decided to just let it go. For all we know, the court's clock was running fast. Or O.A.'s watch was slow. Whatever, it's not that important.

But I found myself thinking anyway: What a doofus, announcing that you are "one minute and 47 seconds late" as if anyone cares or is counting the seconds!! You are late, and that is all there is to it. (And if you *are* counting the seconds, shouldn't you count them correctly, and according to the COURT's clock?!?).

And I was thinking, wow, she really has issues with time, doesn't she?

I stifled my urge to laugh.

I am sure I'll be punished by the universe for laughing, even oh-so-silently, at her misfortune. I hope it's not by being late to a court hearing and having O.A. laugh at me.

Here's a video for you, on the subject of time....