oh, excuse me, Highness

Why do some people think their time is so much more valuable than everyone else's?

I earn an hourly rate with no paid time off; my time is, literally, valuable (at least during working hours - after that, the value is more intrinsic).

Today I went to an appointment a few minutes early to be safe. This came out of my chargeable hours. I sat and waited, waited, and waited some more. When it was a half hour past my appointment time, I asked whether I should reschedule, because it was a half hour past my appointment time. I was informed that they told me my time was 15 minutes earlier than it actually was. Really? Am I a child to be managed? Is the rest of the world so inferior that only those people are allowed to worry about being inconvenienced? All of this oblivious to the fact that still, it was 15 minutes past my appointment time. They assure me that I'll not be waiting longer - no need to reschedule.

Fifteen minutes later, I rescheduled. They couldn't believe it. I couldn't help it - I had a client meeting that I had to attend. In total I was away from my client for an hour and a half. The amount I lost isn't staggering, but the principle of the thing is.

I won't get on my soapbox about the state of service industries today, other than to say this: I contend that any industry is at heart a service industry, and I'm stymied by people who don't seem to understand that they're at our service; we're not at theirs. Oh, excuse me - am I bothering you as I sit here waiting to give you my money? Would your day be easier if I showed up first thing in the morning and just waited quietly until the mood struck you to give me the time of day? No problem.