Unreliablility

Now, I don't mean to bitch and moan, because I like to try and get along with everyone. I'm painfully aware that I don't, but I try and be as open as possible. I'm a forgive but never forget person. I don't hold grudges. Much. That said, I'm increasingly aware of how unreliable people can be. I don't know about you, faithful reader, but I like people keeping to arrangements unless like, their pet dies or they are ill. Y'know. Serious stuff. Before some of you cry out that I must be referring to you, please consider that I don't mean to offend anyone or guilt-trip anyone (seriously), nor am I referring to any one person or case in particular, but rather my experiences of this over what I assure you are a great many years of it!

And that is my point, it keeps happening. A fair amount of the times I arrange to do something with other people - and that isn't amazingly often to begin with - it falls apart. And not days before, when I could re-arrange, but on the actual day. Must be fate! I used to go up to Exeter every few months, as I have friends down in the nearby Plymouth - and I'm not sure if those young women in particular are just always punctual, but I've never had a problem seeing them. I mean sure, arranging a date that every one is free to meet on is often tough and exasperating, but once the plan is set, Human choice doesn't become a problem. Perhaps this is because of the effort that I put in to go and see them: the not inconsiderable cost of a train ticket, the three hour journey, the insomniatic early hour I rise to catch said train, etc. What if they had phoned half way through my journey to claim that they couldn't come for some average reason? "Mum said no". I would have been fuming, and have nothing to do for the rest of that day but sit on a train home reading Metro, the lacklustre British Rail newspaper. But since they realise the effort I put it, and indeed the few and far between occasions of actually seeing them, this has never happened - they do the unheard of and actually ask their parents if they can go out that day the day before. I find them reliable. Shame I've not seen them in a long time, actually.

The same cannot be said for many others. I'm not being vain and claiming that I'm awesome company and I should be the number one choice of things to do, not at all. I simply expect people to keep to what they say they are going to do, all things being equal. At the risk of sounding unreasonable, and going into territory that should very much be covered in What Really Grinds YOUR Gears?, I don't think this is too much to expect. I like to see my friends as much as I can. Or rather, as much as they can stand me! Hehe! Whilst I'm Mr. Happy Go Lucky, pretty much any time is good for me, although I'm aware this won't always be the case: I'll increasingly have more and more on my proverbial (and if I keep trying new foods, literal) plate, which is why I don't want to waste the opportunities now. To be stopped by the fact that they had not checked what was going on with their family, other friends or other responsibilities is woefully annoying, and often leaves me kicking my heels trying to think of something else to do.

In the era of modern communication media, it appears it is both much easier to arrange things, and indeed cancel them - often through the medium of a text message. Back in the 1800s and further back, events would be planned for months, and there was no such thing as cancelling at the last minute (indeed some people don't even bother to cancel and just don't turn up, which is nothing short of rude). The same goes for my parents, who are continually bemused at how unreliable people my age appear to be. I've been brought up to keep to promises and do what I say I'm going to do. Has the rest of society missed out on this sort of upbringing? This isn't just my problem: Daily I hear of people's arrangements falling apart because they are poorly planned. Therefore, faithful reader, in conclusion I submit that this is a rather minor issue that common sense should overcome, but obviously does not. I shouldn't need to blog about it, explaining the solution, which is as clear as: "MAKE SURE YOU ARE DEFINITELY FREE!!!".

Now I guess I'll go and have a walk or watch a DVD.