Recently Bill was invited to a birthday party for another Chinese student. Getting details out of him is always a challenge, but still….
Where and when is the party?
I dunno…..
Well, how will you get there if you don’t have details?
He taps his IPad and reports back, I have to be at his house at 8:20am on Sunday.
Hummmmmmm
Now, I knew they did not have school on Monday, so a Sunday party was reasonable. But 8:20am? I’ve thrown countless kid parties over the years, but none had ever been that weirdly specific.
My husband volunteered to drive him, so I slept in. When he returned home later, he was shaking he head in bemusement.
Apparently, while getting ready, Bill informed my husband they had to pick up Joe, another Chinese student. I had driven this kid before, but my husband didn’t know where he lived. Instead of Google Maps, Bill attempted to direct him. Of course they ended up lost. Finally, with the assistance of actual directions, they arrive at Joes.
They could see him in the front window, seeming standing around doing nothing. Bill texted him and said they were in the driveway. Joe texted that he was not ready. Bill asked when he would be ready. Joe said in a few minutes.
My husband and Bill proceed to watch Joe continue to stand in the front window, clearly not hurrying to get ready, or do anything else. They wait. And wait.
Bill finally says, Mrs. X would have gotten mad at me if I was doing that, she tells me to hurry up when she has to leave or someone is picking me up so I don’t make people wait.
My husband says, Well Bill, in this situation Joe is you, and you are Mrs. X. Don’t you think it’s rude that he’s making us wait, not even attempting to hurry up?
Bill agreed it was rude. He was actually able to put himself in someone else’s place…… Progress! It’s sinking in! Slowly………