Abandonment Issues

Tonight was another of those mildly busy evenings where one car had to be in two places at the same time.  I had interviews starting at 6:45 at one church building and Jana had a 6:45 meeting at another.  Then, we needed to be home by 7:30 to meet our home teachers, who we haven't seen in four months, so we didn't want to miss that.

The solution?  Simple.  We leave at 6:30 and I drop Jana off at her appointment then head over to mine, just three miles away.  I had just two appointments (2 appointments x 15 minutes each = 30 minutes.  First appointment starts at 6:45, done by 7:15... no problem).

As I dropped Jana off her last words were, "Don't leave me waiting.  I have abandonment issues."

I get to the church at 6:45.  I get the computer printout I need.  I'm ready.  But my 6:45 appointment isn't there yet.  After waiting for a time I invite my 7:00 appointment in.  It looks like I've been stood up by my 6:45 so my 7:00 and I visit about a couple other things as well.

7:25 we're finished and I grab my overcoat and walk with him to my office door.  As I open the door there sits my 6:45.

"Please come on in.  Have you been waiting long?"  I take off my overcoat.

I'm careful not to appear rushed so my 6:45 feels like I have all the time in the world to visit with her.  About 6 months after being called as bishop I moved the wall clock so that it sits directly in front of me on the opposite wall.  My visitors can't see it but I can.  I've perfected the ability to look deep into the eyes of my visitors while my peripheral vision sweeps the time.

We conclude at 7:35 and I, once again, put my overcoat on and walk her to the door.  As we emerge my executive secretary comments, "That's the shortest interview he's done yet."  I bid all a farewell and head out to my car.  Once in my car I call my daughter at home to let her know I'm on my way to pick up Jana and ask if our home teachers are there yet.

"No, but they called and want you to call them back."

I head on over to pick up Jana, who, I am certain by now, thinks she has legitimate reasons to have abandonment issues.

I pull up to the doors of the church and don't even feel the least bit guilty for parking in the handicap parking spot.  I leap from the car and bolt for the door through which I can see Jana sitting in the lobby.

"I'm here!" I announce, bursting through the door as if I were some kind of super hero.

She looks up from her "evil toy" with a smile on her face and says,

"I've had the best time visiting with people as they have come and gone – the Cahoons, the Phelps and the Stauffers.  A couple of them even offered me a ride home."

She never broke her smile as I walked her to the van and she filled me in on how everyone was doing.

Not another word was said about my abandoning Jana; just a smile and news about some wonderful conversations she had while she waited.  It seems Jana has spent a fair amount of time in our married life waiting.  It started when we were dating as she, a college graduate, waited for a green returned missionary to grow up enough to ask her to marry him.  (She's still waiting for me to grow up, but, frankly, I don't really intend to.)

I do try to not keep her waiting, however – and sometimes I think I'm improving.  But I'm grateful for the loving thing she offered me tonight as she sat and talked to friends who came and went while she patiently waited.
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