"Dis" respectable Job

Ok so most of you know I teach private flute lessons. I love my job and love the freedom it gives me. I also think I'm pretty darn good at it, and I know a lot of my students enjoy taking lessons with me. But the one thing that aggravates me the most is when people don't show up for their lessons. Now I'm fine with people missing a lesson in general, but can I at least just get a call?

This frustrates me most on Friday afternoons. I teach two lessons on Friday afternoons in a town about 40 minutes away (This is a whole other story about my crazy schedule, but I won't bore you.). It's a 12 week deal. Out of the 11 weeks so far, one of the students has shown up 6 times and notified me twice out of the 5 missed lessons. The second student has shown up 5 times and notified me 1/2 time out of the 6 missed lessons. I say 1/2 because I sat around for 15 minutes and finally the mother showed up to tell me she was sick. Yea, thanks.

Now what makes it worse is I have to teach in a school conference room that is located in the school office. So a couple times now I've actually gone in, set up the music stand and flute, waited around for an hour, then left. People think I'm a freakin' psychopath.

More than once I've given my cell phone number to the moms to let me know if they aren't going to make it. Nope, no dice.

I realize I get paid for this, but it's just common courtesy. I drive 40 minutes down and 40 minutes back for nothing on a Friday afternoon.

I've left messages with both students today to remind them their final lesson is today. (I almost decided just not to show up, but I'm not that passive aggressive.) We'll see if they show up. I think Vegas has the odds at 20-1 they don't.

**Update** Well the first student showed up about 10 minutes late, but at least showed up. I sat in my car waiting, by the way, because there was no way I was gonna look like a fool again. The second student (the one who's paid almost $300 for 12 lessons and has only shown up to 5) called and said she would not be coming. Must be nice to have money to throw away....

Anyway, hoorah! I'm done with that silly ass job.