Someone told me of a rule in the west:

If you are early, you are on time,
if you are on time, you are late,
and if you are late, you are fired.

Well, for starters, the rule can not work in Pakistan, for who will you hire when you have fired everybody? Folks from the West? Good luck.

Immediately after this episode, when I met the concerned late person, I was to meet. I did try to embarrass him for being late but guess what? He had already found out that I was not in on time either and hence left asking to be called back when I arrived

I didn’t want to use anymore red in the above episode, and so I’ve avoided showing what my face looked like after this instance.

I guess I just need to value other people’s time more. I will try to be early next time, because that’s when I will be on time.

-Jimmy


Dawn.com brings you a series of thought provoking messages by Jimmy, an everyday Joe of Pakistan who thinks about things and stuff. Watch this space for the next weekly episode.

*Connect with Jimmy on facebook here.

Opinion

Editorial

Water vision
01 May, 2026

Water vision

WATER insecurity in Pakistan has been building up for decades as per capita water availability has declined from...
Vaccine policy
01 May, 2026

Vaccine policy

PAKISTAN has finally approved its first National Vaccine Policy; a step the health ministry has rightly described as...
Labour rights
Updated 01 May, 2026

Labour rights

THE annual observance of May Day should move beyond statements about the state’s commitment to the rights of...
UAE’s Opec exit
Updated 30 Apr, 2026

UAE’s Opec exit

THE UAE’s exit from Opec is another sign of the major geopolitical shifts that are reshaping the global order. One...
Uncertain recovery
30 Apr, 2026

Uncertain recovery

PAKISTAN’S growth projections for the current fiscal present a cautiously hopeful picture, though geopolitical...
Police ‘encounters’
30 Apr, 2026

Police ‘encounters’

THE killing of nine suspects by Punjab’s Crime Control Department across Lahore, Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh ...