The Kakashi Detail You Might Have Missed In Naruto Shippuden

The reason stopping to help an old lady means so much to Kakashi is that it is the same excuse used by Kakashi's best friend, Obito Uchiha (then thought to be long-dead) whenever he was late. Unlike Kakashi, however, Obito actually did have a grandmother that he needed to take care of, so there was a little more honesty to Obito's own tardiness.

More importantly, however, the connection between this excuse and Obito highlights the real reason that Kakashi is so often late to meetings and assignments. As revealed in "Naruto" Episode 80, Kakashi spends much of his free time at the Memorial Stone where he first trained Team 7. There, inscribed on the memorial, are the names of Shinobi who have sacrificed themselves on the field of battle. Obito's name is among them, and so Kakashi often visits the stone to contemplate his fallen friend.