Every time I travel I am literally "smacked in the face" with the reason why I hate cell phones. However, traveling wasn't the only trigger to this feeling over the last week. While I was preparing for my trip, I went to Kmart on Sunday to pick up some travel size shampoos and toothpaste to re-stock my travel bag. I'm standing there in the aisle pondering whether I wanted my hair to smell like coconuts, berries or just plain old shampoo (clean) smell. All of the sudden I kept hearing this...OMG, are you kidding, she said what, was she drunk...blah, blah, blah...coming out of the mouth of someone who probably was either 16 or 17 walking up and down the aisles of Kmart. To my displeasure, it seems that no matter what aisle I chose to move to next, she was only an aisle away talking so loud that I'm certain that everyone else on the other side of Kmart could hear her talk about teenage drama that no one really cares to hear about. I'm not certain why she thinks that we would all be interested in it, but from the way she was talking, walking and looking around, I really believe she wanted to make sure that people were paying attention to her.
As I boarded the plane to Minneapolis the next morning, I was pleased that everyone around me had already turned off their phones and tucked them away well before the flight attendant said we had to discontinue the use of electronic devices. I'm thinking that this is going to be a great trip...people who respect the limited space of being in an airplane. Much to my chagrin, the moment and I mean the MOMENT we hit the ground and started our 8-10 minute taxi to the gate, the guy in front of me takes out his phone and called someone to talk about drivel so useless and of course, loudly enough that those 10 rows ahead could hear him. What was interesting was that a number of people turned around to give him that "sideways glance" of annoyance that he had to subject us to his stupid conversation. What was it about? Whether or not he thought he should rent a car and whether he had enough warm clothes for the trip. I mean...that's emergency enough to dial the phone and start yakking while the plane is still taxiing to the gate.
I remember traveling to Dulles airport and being on the people mover bus from one terminal to the other and the guy sitting next to me called someone to make stock trades that could have waited until he walked inside and could get to a more private location. What was funny about this is that he was talking about buying a $100 of this or $100 of that...yeah, dude, we totally know you're a big spender who is rolling it in from the stock market!
As I am waiting for my return flight, grabbing a bite to eat, a man two stools down answers his phone that rings and instead of doing what the guy next to me did when he received a phone call, which was to step outside of the place, this man takes the call and just chatters away. Again...trivial stuff that I'm not certain that anyone could care less about but we certainly were drawn into the conversation, unwillingly. I can't understand why people really think we care about their conversations. To top it off, I walked by another place on my way to my gate and sitting at a table were three people who were ALL talking on their phones.
This causes me to wonder what we ever did without cell phones! Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I have one, particularly when I travel or drive alone. There are so many great things about having a cell phone like calling home just to make sure you didn't forget something important while you are on your way to the grocery store, which saves you a trip back. Checking in with your kids, wife, husband, etc. Most of us are considerate of people's personal public space and if we take a call in the store from home, we get the information needed quickly and tell the caller we will call them back. Or, we walk to an area where we do not subject other people to our conversations.
However, for those of you who think we really care about your stupid conversations while we are eating, shopping, standing in line or doing something in a public place...we do not care, we don't want to hear it and you are literally making a buffoon out of yourself! Thank goodness to the lady, I forgot where I was, who wouldn't help the person in line in front of me until she hung up her phone (she literally told her...hang up your phone or move to the end of the line...I say bravo to you!).
Seriously!
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