Be Ready

Me Pops didn't drink or carouse. Indeed he was pretty straight laced his entire life. Even in high school he was well regarded, seen by his classmates as a good, dependable guy.

He didn't play formal school sports but would often give rides to football games and the like to friends who wanted to go. There was only one hard and fast rule: if Bill Cosgriff  told you to be ready at 1 you better be ready at 1, because he would not wait.

This rule was made by necessity. Dad often picked up several friends at a time for an event and the event began at a set time. It was a fairness issue for everyone involved to be ready when it was agreed that you'd be ready.

One of my Aunts reminded a girlfriend of hers of this. "When Bill gets to your house you better be ready or he will leave." The girl didn't think much of it. Her boyfriend was the star of the football team and Bill wouldn't risk offending him.

So Dad got to her house with a couple other people in tow and the young lady wasn't ready. Her mother had stuck her head out the door to indicate she'd be ready in a few minutes. Me Pops threw the car into gear and pulled away from the curb. A girl already with the teens in the car asked incredulously, "You're not actually going to leave her are you Bill?" Dad just kept driving.

The truant managed to get the game a few minutes late. Afterwards she complained to her boyfriend, "I'm sorry I was late; Bill left without me."

I don't know what she expected but it wasn't what she got. "Were you ready when he told you to be ready?"

"No," she answered sheepishly.

"Then I don't blame Bill for leaving you." It was the sort of respect the old man commanded.

Some of you may not agree with such an attitude. Me Pops would leave you behind just as quick too. If you ask somebody for a favor you have to do your part, simple as that.