I learned something about planning and patience this morning on my way to work.  It’s Monday and I left my house three minutes late; being fairly new to Bourke Accounting, I was going mental.  I am in my probationary period and I have become accustomed to arriving at least  15 minutes early.  I told myself to calm down and that there was no reason to get excited – what could three minutes do?

And then I saw it.

A school bus had stopped in front of me.  I took a big breath and waited patiently.  At first.  Now, I realize that my emergency doesn’t necessarily translate into someone else’s priority.  I also realize that it was my own fault for leaving three minutes late.  Fine, I was wrong, I admit it.

However, the children crossing the road weren’t hustling.  It didn’t matter that, at this point, seven cars were lined up on either side of the road, it didn’t matter that folks had places to be, no.  They were dawdling, they were dragging their feet, they were stopping to receive last-minute information from Mom.  They weren’t hurrying.

When I was a kid, my ma had my brother and I standing by the door five minutes before the bus arrived.  It could have been the garbage truck a block away, but if my mother even thought it was the bus, she was shoving us out the door like a pilot over occupied territory, with my brother and I playing SEALS jumping from the plane.

The kids were not even halfway to the bus.  One kid lost a shoe (how?) and had to, slowly, stop to retrieve it.  I couldn’t stop myself.  I rolled down the window, Neil Diamond blasting, and yelled “Run, run, run!”

Bad idea.  I see that now.

The kids stopped to stare at the crazy lady in the Doge Dart, hitting the steering wheel.  The crossing guard’s face was the visual definition of disapproval as she waved her lighted baton disgustedly in my general direction.  The moms flapped their hands at me, as if to say: Calm down, woman.

With great difficulty, I did calm down.  I arranged my face into a normal, everyday, rictus of a smile.

The bus finally pulled away, only to stop after a half of a block to pull into the school.  Half a block?  These kids waited for a bus to take them half a block?

So, let my pain bring you enlightenment.  With tax time quickly approaching, don’t wait until the last minute to come and see your friendly, neighborhood accounting professional at Bourke Accounting.  No one likes to feel rushed, so why not stop by as soon as possible and see what Bourke Accounting can do for you?  Also, that refund will come quicker with a bit of early planning and we all like that story!

Come see us any time.  Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com.  See you soon!

Written by Sue H.