Miscommunication

4/16/15

Miscommunication

 I recently experienced a conflict that was due to miscommunication. This happened in February and it involved my neighbor and I. My neighbor and I get along very well and he occasionally tells me about his accomplishments in life. In January, he took his written test for the driver license and he passed it on his first try. I congratulated him and asked him when his driving appointment was, so he told me it was on February 18 at 10:15AM. He mentioned that he didn't have a licensed driver to accompany him for the driving test and he was worried about that dilemma. So, I, being a good neighbor, like State Farm suggests, told him that I have a license and I could accompany him. We came to an agreement and he thanked me. 

The long awaited day arrived and before I headed to school I saw him outside cleaning his truck. I approached him and said "Hey, good morning! So today at 10:15am right?" and he replied "Oh hey, good morning Angel! Yes, that's right, today at 10:15." So I drove to CSUMB to my morning class. My class ends at 9:50am, and that day I left at 9:30 so I could arrive with time to spare at the DMV. It usuallly takes me 20-25 minutes to get from CSUMB to Salinas, and that day took me 30 minutes. 

So I arrived at the DMV, in Salinas, at 10:05am. The place was packed and I was looking for a parking spot. I ended up parking behind the DMV in the Rabobank Stadium parking lot. It was 10:10am and as soon as I got out of the car my phone started ringing. It was my neighbor. I answered and he said, "Angel, are you here yet?" So I said, "Yes, I just arrived. I'm on my way inside." He replied, "Okay," and hanged up. I walked inside the DMV and was looking for him everywhere. I could not find him. I called him up and asked where he was at, so he said, "Wait, are you in Salinas?" and I said, "Yea, why?" so he responded, "Oh well I'm in Seaside's DMV." I could not find any words to tell him, I was just dumbfounded. Before hanging up I said, "Dude, I thought it was here in Salinas!" and he said, "No, it's in Seaside," and he hanged up. I did not know if I should be mad or sorry I was just stupefied. I waited inside Salinas DMV for about 5 minutes, before calling my neighbor again. I was trying to gather my thoughts and I couldn't so I just called him. He didn't answer and I called him 7 more times. He never answered any calls so I decided to drive back to Seaside to the DMV. 

I arrived at Seaside's DMV and I did not find my neighbor. So I decided to go back to my house, to see if my neighbor had arrived. When I arrived at my house, my neighbor was not there so I decided to wait for him. After 15 minutes of waiting, he arrived. I walked up to him and said, "Hey what happened?" He replied, "Don't worry man, stuff like this happens all the time. I should have told you it was in Seaside, but I genuinely thought you knew." So I said, "I had no idea it was in Seaside, that's why I never asked. I thought it was here in Salinas." We ended up having a good laugh about it at the end and two weeks later, he passed his driving test. 

I have experienced many minor conflicts with miscommunication, but this conflict was the biggest one yet. That day I learned that human beings are not mind readers and paying attention to small details can be very helpful.