South Dakota Has Its Own Time Zone for Getting Ready

In South Dakota, “I'll be ready in five minutes” can mean a lot of things.

It might mean someone is actually five minutes away from leaving. It might also mean they're still sitting on the couch, wearing sweatpants and thinking about getting ready.

The phrase is especially confusing because nobody seems to agree on when the timer starts.

Does it begin when someone says it? When they stand up? When they walk into the bathroom? Or when they finally realize they have no idea where their shoes are?

There's no official answer.

You might hear “five minutes” before heading out for dinner in Sioux Falls, meeting friends in Brookings or getting ready for a weekend trip to the Black Hills. At that point, you're not waiting five minutes. You're waiting for an entire process to unfold.

First comes the outfit change. Then comes the search for the phone, which is usually in someone's hand, followed by, “Where are the keys?” Just when you're finally ready, the dog needs to go outside one more time.

And somehow, the person getting ready is always surprised that you're waiting.

“I'm almost ready.”

That phrase is the sequel to “five minutes.”

“Almost ready” can mean shoes are on and keys are in hand. It can also mean someone has selected a shirt but is now reconsidering the entire concept of clothing.

The funny part is that we all do some version of this. We say we're leaving soon, then find three things that suddenly need to be done before we walk out the door.

And in South Dakota, there's sometimes one more delay: checking the weather.

Because “five minutes” can turn into 15 pretty quickly when someone realizes they need a fleece, a jacket or shoes that can survive whatever the forecast is doing.

Five minutes isn't really a measurement anymore. It's more of a gut feeling.