The Girl that is not Punctual

So, we often hear the word punctual. Punctual is another word for ‘being in time.’ How many times do you remember yourself being punctual? How many times so far do you know that you did not?
It’s a matter of realizing that we should always go, pass, do or make something in time. Punctuality is actually our Value of the Month in November 2010. We are practiced to be punctual in all our works, deeds as well as our activities. This value named punctuality is really important in each of us.

In this story I want to share with you, this is all about a student named Leslie, who always rushes at the last minute of passing. Time is running out. Take a break and read the story and let us realize whether punctuality counts in your life. Enjoy the story.

Leslie, a student of Cascade School of Learning, is in 6^th Grade. She is in Section a, known as the section of smartest and advance students. She is beautiful, smart, and helpful but there is one thing lacking at her: her punctuality in passing. Leslie is running for her life in passing her project. At least she can pass, but she always runs her time out because if there is a time, she just loiters around and eats and sleeps.

Entering Leslie’s school, Leslie heard her teacher in class that she is assigned to choreograph the songs for Gratitude Day. “Oh! That’s very easy, let’s get it on,” Leslie said in a harsh manner. Her teacher uttered “Just make sure you do your best.” Leslie is very proud and she said “Of course Sir, don’t you have trust in me?” The teacher stared at her and said “I have trust in you but make it your best. This is your last year here in Elementary.”

After that, the teacher announced something. “The Gratitude Day Celebration will still be on February 6. You can still practice for your choreograph and prepare your props! Now, it’s still November. You still have the time to do this.”

In Leslie’s mind, she thinks that the preparation is too much days. It is still two months before the main rehearsal. After a month doing actually nothing, Leslie’s classmates call her at home during Christmas vacation.

“Leslie, when will we practice the steps,” asked Laura, who is a close friend of Leslie.

“Oh! January 26,” uttered Leslie. “Anyhow it’s still December. Enjoy your Christmas Season,” added Leslie.

“I can’t decide upon it, you’re our choreographer,” smiled and said Laura.

While the classmates of Leslie continue calling her in the phone, her mother called her.

“Leslie, kindly fill the pitcher with clean water. Be watchful because you might not see that the pitcher is already full.”

Leslie, together with the pitcher brought the wireless telephone to the kitchen and she filled the pitcher with water. She kept on talking on the telephone until the water overflowed. She did not mind and still, she’s talking.

Then she looked back into the pitcher seeing the sink was stocked with clean water. She got the tools for maintaining the sink into its normal flow. After minutes, the sink is still like the sink a while ago. She can’t do anything but to run, put the pitcher to the fridge and leave the mess.

Leslie’s mother was shocked to see the sink full of mess. She called up Leslie. Leslie was pretending to be asleep. So her mother went to her room and scolded her.

“Why is the sink stocked with full of clean water,” asked Leslie’s mother.

Leslie is speechless. Of course she will not speak the truth but because her mother is stark mad, she spoke.

“It is because I was too late to see the clean water filling the pitcher. I’m so sorry mom.”

Her mom just had patience with her. “Those happened today but make sure be punctual in all your ways next time.”

The next month, Leslie was asked by her classmates once again. “When is the practice Leslie. We might be late.”

Leslie lazily said, “Wait for January 26. Patience is a virtue.”

Her classmates can’t do anything because of she is the choreographer of the dances. So after days, eventually, January 26 is now at their midst.

They met at lunch time and asked “Where is Leslie,” the classmates said and thought. Leslie was in the canteen eating her lunch while staring at her classmates outside.

“O, Laura, Vic, Kristin,” said Leslie. We will just practice on February 4. We still have much time. That’s the final call,” added Leslie.

So the three of her classmates rushed to their fellow classmates and said what Leslie said.

“Why February 4? We still have much time,” said one of Leslie’s classmates.

After days of worrying on their dance, Leslie finally calls them in February 4.

“This is our last day. Tomorrow is already the general rehearsal. Please get focused now,” said Leslie nervously.

So Leslie ran the letter to her teacher at the faculty room and saw she should choreograph about four gratitude songs.

“Guys, behave. We lack time. I still need to surf the Internet for gratitude songs and download them,” said Leslie in a mad way.

So Leslie went for a walk- in at their Computer Laboratory in the 3^rd Floor but the Computer Teacher still has his class. Leslie had a sudden strain that made her collapse.

Leslie was lying at the front of the Computer Laboratory and the nun, Sister Felly called the maintenance to carry Leslie to the clinic and let her rest. The next morning Leslie was ill.

 “Sir, I am sorry,” said Leslie.

“Why,” uttered his teacher.

“I still can’t go to school and we still did not practice even a single step. Sorry, Sir,” uttered Leslie.

“Why,” asked her teacher. “There is a long time. Why didn’t you do it?”

“I didn’t mind it when there is a time and when there is no time, that’s the time I remember it,” said Leslie.

 “So,” the teacher asked, “What have you learned?”

Leslie said “I learned that whenever you do your projects and activities, be punctual.”

“I’ll just hand the presentation to myself. I wish you can recover the fastest time,” said her teacher.

The day after the Gratitude Day, Leslie said an apology to the class.

“I admit I didn’t let you practice in time,” Leslie said. I am really sorry because I still did not learn to be punctual.”

Her friends still accepted her apology and she learned to be punctual. She still has time to review her work before passing and now, she gets commendation from his teachers. She passes earlier than the due date and of course more teachers are proud of her.

Now, is punctuality really important? I think yes. It puts us into the right place and the right time. J