La hora peruana (Peruvian Time)

This morning, I spent an hour and a half waiting for the mayor to show up for a scheduled meeting. I had prepared myself for the Hora Peruana (everything starts at least 15 minutes late), but an hour and a half?? Now that was just ridiculous. Totally unacceptable.

So there I was in his office, fuming. I´m fanning myself with the newspaper in an annoyed huff. Tapping my foot incessantly. Thinking about all the different seemingly respectful but actually biting remarks I could say about being "professional" --when he finally comes in.

I take a breath to calm myself down a bit and step through the door.

"Sir, you told me 8:30," I say to him in what I think is a generous tone considering. "I´ve been waiting here for you for well over an hour. Did something happen?"

He looks at me nonchalantly (doesn´t even apologize) and says, "I thought I´d go bathe in the river."

And then I remember: Oh right, I´m in Peru.