On its own time 🕹️
"No matter how much we've accomplished or how hard we've worked, we never believe we've done enough."
—Social Psychologist Devon Price
> late to the resistance | predator
Our discourse over Slack on being late to shifts continued at a Tulsa coffee shop where I worked while getting sober from alcohol.
- Confronting my alcoholism did nothing for my long history of showing up late to everything.
On Slack, I pointed out that the Italians were late to everything by custom. Italy has existed for far longer than the United States.
Maybe they know something we don't.
Years ago while covering security issues as a journalist, I read a book by an American pilot named Matt Martin who flew drones for the U.S. Air Force during the War on Terror. ✈️
His crew at one time was partnered with a team of Italian pilots. The Americans bristled at the persistent lateness of the Italians. Wrote Martin:
>> "Sure, I could have grown accustomed to the laid-back Italian attitude. But I had to keep reminding myself that time was running out if we hoped to have Predator in the air."
In the minds of the Americans, as Martin himself shows, the tardiness of the Italians was not just disrespectful but threatened to derail the entire multi-trillion dollar War on Terror.
That obviously never happened.
- "Everything is to be on its own time," one Italian colonel put it to Martin.
A civilian contractor chimed in: "I've worked with the Italians. They'll get it done in its own time."
In its own time.
Italians know how to savor the espresso. Americans order a shot of espresso to go.
No one ever said before their final breath that they should have been more punctual.
- next time "It only works if everyone is late."
- listening Chelsea Wolfe "Flatlands"
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