I am compelled to make public an experience that I had at the West Seattle Neighborhood Office of the City of Seattle. Attending to a parking ticket that I received a few weeks prior, I arrived early for my 1:15 appointment and then went out to patronize a merchant in the junction in the time available. I arrived back for my appointment on time and proceeded to sign in and wait to be seen. Fully fifteen minutes after my appointment time I overheard the magistrate who had just arrived back from lunch, recounting her lunchtime activities with her clerk at which point, in full earshot of everyone in the waiting area said that she had just returned from having her nails done.

I polled my fellow miscreants a to determine the sequence of our appointments and believed that I was first in line as the office re-opens after the lunch hour ostensibly at 1:15, the time of my appointment. I was the third person to be seen, turns out the clerk fellow takes people in the order that they check in with him, (no matter that he was not present at the time I arrived early for my appointment) not the assigned time of the appointment. OK, whatever. My name is called a full half-hour after my appointment time, and after going over my infraction and determining my fine I asked the Magistrate if my time had any value to her. Her response was surprise and she inquired why I had asked. I commented on the lateness of her arrival and subsequent delay of my appointment, and said that it certainly felt as if my time had no value. She replied that she was sorry that I felt that way, that she had been running a little late. She didn't apologize, but was sorry that I felt that way. Hmmm.

Had I been as dismissive of the court's time as the court was of mine, I believe that there would have been negative consequences, but this appears to be a one-way street. I am willing to give almost anyone latitude when it comes to punctuality, but this does not include blatant disregard for the courtesy and respect of others. It is my belief that public officials, especially officers of the court must be scrupulous when it comes to playing by the rules. It is the job of the courts to enforce the rules, to provide the social order that we all are required to live by, so should we not hold them up to the closest scrutiny? When this behavior is not expected, and moreover required, what results is contempt for authority and rightfully so, but is this the society we want to model for our children?

Kathleen Wilson

Gatewood Hill