Waiting

“There will be a fifteen to twenty minute wait; we will call you when your table is ready.” “Please take a number and wait for the next available clerk.” “Make yourself comfortable in the waiting room; your car will be ready shortly.” “You will have a three hour lay-over between flights.” And so, I dutifully pick up a stale magazine or start next week’s grocery list or simply “go on hold” (you know, when your eyes glaze over, you start twirling your hair with your little finger and, as you cross your legs, your top leg starts to swing like a metronome) . It’s called WAITING. However, I dislike wasting time and, since the stages and activities of our lives seem to require periods of “biding one’s time,” I decided to observe how other people handle life’s intervals. A recent wait at the airport provided the opportunity. Upon settling into…