--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Walter White] had keep [people] waiting…" description: "\"[Walter White] had keep [people] waiting while you got the impression that he was terribly busy with calls to Washington. I've seen such exhibitions in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/ella-baker-10989_asks_walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-whi_3149531.jpg" --- # \[Walter White\] had keep \[people\] waiting while you got the… ![“[Walter White] had keep [people] waiting while you got the impression that he was terribly busy with calls to Washington. I've seen such exhibitions in that direction as having someone come out of his office to the switchboard operator - which at that time was sort of located in the center of…” quote by Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/ella-baker-10989_asks_walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-whi_3149531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/ella-baker-10989_asks_walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-whi_3149531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/ella-baker-10989_asks_walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-whi_3149531.jpg) > “\[Walter White\] had keep \[people\] waiting while you got the impression that he was terribly busy with calls to Washington. I've seen such exhibitions in that direction as having someone come out of his office to the switchboard operator - which at that time was sort of located in the center of wherever people were waiting - and ask to call such-and-such a place, or a call through to Mr. So-and-so, or somebody like this, you see.” [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker criticizes a character for appearing busy while actually keeping others waiting, highlighting a façade of importance. **In simple terms:** Someone pretends to be busy but makes others wait. Key Takeaway Avoid unnecessary delays and be transparent. Themes communication efficiency authenticity Mood frustrated critical Type observational critical When to use this quote - workplace - customer service - personal interactions Key Concepts perception status time management Questions to Reflect On - How does perceived busyness affect trust? - What steps can you take to be more punctual? A Different Perspective Busy appearances can mask inefficiency and cause frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Busy Calls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy-calls-5647979/) [Calls Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calls-washington-5647980/) [Exhibitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhibitions/) [Impression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impression/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Operators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operators/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Switchboard Operator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/switchboard-operator-555070/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Waiting Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-ask-5647981/) [Walter white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walter-white/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) ## Related quotes > [ One of the particular things that impressed me was one visitor \[of NAACP\] - I think it was - it wasn't the Prime Minister… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/one-of-the-particular-things-that-impressed-me-was-one-visitor-of/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ I think that Walter's \[White\] whole career is indicative of a large degree of egocentricity. Perhaps to be generous, you would have to say… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-think-that-walter-s-white-whole-career-is-indicative-of-a-large/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ \[Walter White\] was also one of the best lobbyist of the period. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/walter-white-was-also-one-of-the-best-lobbyist-of-the-period/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ When I went to the Association \[ National Association for the Advancement of Colored People\] I learned a few things by observation. One of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/when-i-went-to-the-association-national-association-for-the/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I was a switchboard operator on the first season of 'Mad Men.' I was the oldest and bitterest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-courtney/i-was-a-switchboard-operator-on-the-first-season-of-mad-men-i-was-the/) [Stephanie Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-courtney/) > [I attempt all day, at work, not to think about what lies ahead, but this costs me so much effort that there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-attempt-all-day-at-work-not-to-think-about-what-lies-ahead-but-this/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [In the business world an executive knows something about everything, a technician knows everything about something and the switchboard operator knows everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-coffin/in-the-business-world-an-executive-knows-something-about-everything-a/) [Harold Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-coffin/) > [I began my career as the switchboard operator at 'Rolling Stone.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-connelly/i-began-my-career-as-the-switchboard-operator-at-rolling-stone/) [Chris Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-connelly/) > [Having a son with a disability helps makes Walter White a more sympathetic character. There's no story line that shows Walt Jr. going through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/having-a-son-with-a-disability-helps-makes-walter-white-a-more/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [Eleanor Roosevelt fights for an anti-lynch law with the NAACP, with Walter White and Mary McLeod Bethune. And she begs FDR to say one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-wiesen-cook/eleanor-roosevelt-fights-for-an-anti-lynch-law-with-the-naacp-with/) [Blanche Wiesen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-wiesen-cook/) > [So much television allows for, even centres on, deeply flawed male characters, far less so women. Would anyone give a note asking that 'Breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-coughlan/so-much-television-allows-for-even-centres-on-deeply-flawed-male/) [Nicola Coughlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-coughlan/) > [I was just infused with ideas and I would dream about it and wake up and go, "Oh, I have another idea about Walter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/i-was-just-infused-with-ideas-and-i-would-dream-about-it-and-wake-up/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [We all put on faces, as Walter White does. We put on faces when we meet our friends, when we meet new people, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-gilligan/we-all-put-on-faces-as-walter-white-does-we-put-on-faces-when-we-meet/) [Vince Gilligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-gilligan/) > [With TV season structures - and I'm a huge TV watcher - you look at shows like 'Breaking Bad,' which is my favorite show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/with-tv-season-structures-and-i-m-a-huge-tv-watcher-you-look-at-shows/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [“There's nothing more dangerous in life than not living".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-white-breaking-bad/there-s-nothing-more-dangerous-in-life-than-not-living/) [Walter White (Breaking Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-white-breaking-bad/) ## More by Ella Baker > [In order to see where we are going, we not only must remember where we have been, but we must understand where we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/in-order-to-see-where-we-are-going-we-not-only-must-remember-where-we/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [The major job was getting people to understand that they had something within their power that they could use, and it could only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/the-major-job-was-getting-people-to-understand-that-they-had/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [After the '57 initial meeting - I was up this way working, not as a staff person - there became the need for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/after-the-57-initial-meeting-i-was-up-this-way-working-not-as-a-staff/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [My theory is, strong people don't need strong leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/my-theory-is-strong-people-don-t-need-strong-leaders/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [Oppressed people, whatever their level of formal education, have the ability to understand and interpret the world around them, to see the world for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/oppressed-people-whatever-their-level-of-formal-education-have-the/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I went to what is known as, and was at that time, too, Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. In fact, because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-went-to-what-is-known-as-and-was-at-that-time-too-shaw-university/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [Strong people don't need strong leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/strong-people-don-t-need-strong-leaders/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [His name was Michael R. Ross. I've never known what the "R" was for. He died, however, before I was 7. But he and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/his-name-was-michael-r-ross-i-ve-never-known-what-the-r-was-for-he/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I guess the best way to describe that would be to connect with the fact that I came out of college just before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-guess-the-best-way-to-describe-that-would-be-to-connect-with-the/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I had been friendly with people who were in the Communist party and all the rest of the Left forces, which were oriented in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-had-been-friendly-with-people-who-were-in-the-communist-party-and/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ I didn't have any close relationship with him because, although \[William Edward Burghardt\] DuBois may not have been as egocentric - I don't know… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-didn-t-have-any-close-relationship-with-him-because-although/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ \[Walter White\] was also one of the best lobbyist of the period. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/walter-white-was-also-one-of-the-best-lobbyist-of-the-period/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I think, to be honest, sort of emanated from the initial work of somebody else instead of SCLC. If you take Albany; I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-think-to-be-honest-sort-of-emanated-from-the-initial-work-of/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/we-who-believe-in-freedom-cannot-rest-until-it-comes/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I didn't break the rules, but I challenged the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-didn-t-break-the-rules-but-i-challenged-the-rules/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) [Explore all 62 Ella Baker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) [Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[Walter White] had keep [people] waiting while you got the impression that he was terribly busy with calls to Washington. I've seen such exhibitions in that direction as having someone come out of his office to the switchboard operator - which at that time was sort of located in the center of wherever people were waiting - and ask to call such-and-such a place, or a call through to Mr. So-and-so, or somebody like this, you see.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ella Baker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-while-you-got-the-impression/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-while-you-got-the-impression/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/ella-baker-10989_asks_walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-whi_3149531.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/ella-baker-10989_asks_walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-whi_3149531.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/ella-baker-10989_asks_walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-whi_3149531.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[Walter White] had keep [people] waiting while you got the impression that he was terribly busy with calls…” — Ella Baker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ella Baker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[Walter White] had keep [people] waiting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-while-you-got-the-impression/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/walter-white-had-keep-people-waiting-while-you-got-the-impression/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```