Once Too Many

I am a stickler for timing, and I usually try my best to be on time. As such, one of the things that gets me pretty pissed is people who come late. If they are sincerely and genuinely apologetic about it, of course I will forgive them and be nice about it and feel less upset about their delay. If they have a very valid reason (caught in traffic jam), I also am understanding about it. So, it’s not that difficult to pacify me if you know u will be late rite? How late is considered late? I give 5 – 10mins grace. Anything more is LATE. Unfortunately, I realized that in being punctual, I am actually showing faith in the people I am meeting – that they will be on time. Regrettably, people I usually meet are close friends (since they are good friends, so we are more likely to meet up often). And very sadly, I always stupidly turn up on time to receive the ‘I will be late, you all go ahead first without me’ sms. It’s gotten to the point of 99.9999% predictability, and yet I refused to be late, and always turn up at the stipulated time. And even more unbearably, I tolerate this late behaviour of my good friends because they are my good friends and I dun want to scream at them. (If it’s my hubby, I would scream at him). And because I dun exhibit visible upset at their late behaviour, it seems to have gotten to the point of ‘it’s ok to be late’ and hence no apology needed. Just the usual ‘you all go ahead first’. How not to vomit blood when in the group of frens you are meeting, they all tell you ‘to go ahead first’ thinking the rest will be there on time (there are others who are punctual and who will then buffer your lateness). But if ur group is as small as 3 people? 2 people tell u that, what does the equation come to? One day I must reply them ‘Yes, I will go ahead first with me, myself and I.’