"I always check a You Tube's length before I watch it."

 

I had to agree. The clarity up front about how long this will take helps me choose. 

 

I had a dentist in another state who took teeth very seriously. He would work slowly, as if these cuspids were made of ivory instead of enamel.  I could feel my anxiety accelerate as the clock slowed down. One day I took a proactive stance.

 

"How long will this appointment take? I need to be somewhere by noon." He looked surprised at the thought that I did not savor having his knuckles in my cheeks. 

 

With a firm agreement about the duration, I found the appointment more tolerable. 

 

Once I heard a wise woman mention that she asks her husband before launching into a dialogue. 

 

"Can I have ten minutes of your time?" What a genius.

 

When I have been rehearsing a verbal interchange with John in my head for a few days, I am well acquainted with the time span involved. But he is not. He has on occasion looked like I was coming at him with a whizzing drill instead of a request. If I can give him parameters for the spar/conversation he can be a mite better prepared.

 

He might even ask to reschedule.