As a person who always avoids lines – I refuse to wait in line at a restaurant or at the bank, if at
all possible – wow! Reality has just slapped me in the face. Lines are everywhere and almost all
the time, though luckily, I’ve never had a line for the restroom or shower. It starts at 6 am.
People line up to be called for “chow hall”. Supposed to go at 6 am but the guards here are not
exactly punctual in their calls. When “chow” is finally called, everyone hustles to the chow hall,
only to wait in line again to get our tray of food. At least the lines move quickly. We have pretty
much free range of the campus, but can only move on the hour for security reasons. Again, the
call is rarely punctual so people are lined up wherever they are, eager to get to their next
destination. Something happens at lunch (11 am) and dinner. In addition, there is a lockdown at
4 pm and 9 pm for a formal head count. When the guards enter to count, guess what? Another
line. People line up for pill pick up, injectable medications, like insulin, for blood pressure
checks, sick calls, almost everything.
Lines and waiting in them (the “hurry up and wait”) was something I avoided like the plague.
For the next several years, lines will be a very prominent feature in my life. Am I patient? I’m
getting there slowly, but it’s a work in progress. I look forward to the time, I don’t think twice
about it..
