DEAR ABBY: My live-in boyfriend, "Larry," carpools with me to work every day. We enjoy the benefits of sharing the hour-long commute -- the money we save on gas and maintenance, the commuter incentives offered by our workplace and each other's company.
The one thing I don't like is the fact that Larry is constantly late every morning -- which in turn makes me late. It's not as though he doesn't have plenty of time to get ready. After I've finished showering and dressing, Larry is still lying around in bed. Once he's up, he turns on the weather channel or checks his e-mail. By the time he finally showers and dresses, we're already running late. (His supervisor doesn't mind if he shows up around 10 a.m. However, I recently started a new job and am expected to be at my desk by 9 every morning.)
I've tried everything I can think of to get Larry to speed up his morning routine. I've joked, teased, nagged and begged. Now I've reached the point where I just sit on the couch and glare at him until he's ready to go. When I suggest we drive separately, he acts insulted. Is there some magic trick to convince my boyfriend of the importance of punctuality -- or should I bite the bullet and insist on making the hour-long commute by myself? -- ALWAYS TARDY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
DEAR ALWAYS TARDY: Your boyfriend may not be a morning person, but the lack of consideration he shows for the demands of your job could have severe repercussions on your career.
Give him a deadline to get ready to leave. (Set the clock ahead if necessary.) If he's not ready to go, leave without him. I'll bet that you won't have to do it twice.