I was all set for this contractor to show up and give me a bid on fixing the bathroom mess that’s started. I had it scheduled for 6:00p tonight, ready to get the bad news and just get the stupid thing fixed.

It’s quarter after seven and the guy isn’t here.

I understand that rush hour traffic sucks. I understand that I may live on the opposite end of town from you. I do have an expectation, though, that if you’re going to commit to show up somewhere, you should show or at least have the common courtesy to call me up and say, “Sorry, buddy, you live in BFE - there’s no way I’m driving out there during rush hour for a free estimate.”

I called the business back and got the answering machine. (Anyone else think it’s weird that the contracting people don’t actually identify their business name on the answering machine? I think it’s probably one of those home-based businesses where the number is both the home and work number, but that’s starting to ring dicey to me.) I left a message asking where he was… but I dunno. I think I’m going to call someone else tomorrow morning. Bah.

And here I was, all ready to get this whole thing fixed. Guess it’s going to continue to be un-fixed, which is 100% less fixed than I’m comfortable with.

Why do I let stuff like this bug me? I mean, it really bothers me that the bathroom is in this ragged state of limbo, unfinished but unable to be completed. My blood pressure gets up about it and I can’t relax. I know it shouldn’t bug me - I should just call someone else and move on with life - but when people commit to me, I set plans based on that commitment and I expect them to follow through with it. That, coupled with my extreme need for closure, makes it really difficult in situations like this. I want the job done. Having it open is like having this huge problem just hanging out there, dangling in the wind. Loose ends. That stuff doesn’t sit well with me.

I need to lower my expectations. I know it. I need to just accept the fact that people in general are unreliable and that long term projects like fixing the bathroom paint job do not have to cause my entire system to be in an inconsistent state. It’s just hard, you know? Baby steps. Baby steps.