I'm not a Cub Scout leader, but my husband (Mr. Cubmaster) often asks me to go along to meetings to answer questions, distribute forms and take care of the sign-in sheet. Basically, I get the work without the uniform.

I showed up 15 minutes early to the last Cub Scout meeting and was immediately mobbed by three families in the parking lot.  One mom dogged me all the way to the front door, even while I was unlocking the door, and into the hallway of the building where we meet.

"I thought maybe tonight's meeting was canceled when I got here and no one was here yet," she told me.

"I'm 15 minutes early," I replied.  (I'm chronically early myself, and I think that 15 minutes is more than plenty.  Especially when I'm going to wind up essentially babysitting 32 boys while they wait for everyone to get there so the meeting can start.)

"Well, to me, if I'm not there half an hour ahead of time, then I'm late."

I think she needs to switch to decaf.  I did not know what to say to that.  I just repeated, "I'm 15 minutes early."

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