Remember when your telephone used to ring? All you had to do was go to the phone on your desk, kitchen counter or perhaps it was hanging on the wall. It was always in the same location and the ring always sounded the same.
As I see it, all those who do not have a “hardline phone” have some major problems. When the phone rings, do you remember where you put it? Is it in your pocket, your purse, kicked under the couch? How many times will it ring? I know that answer — it will ring until just before you answer it. Oh well, you can just check your voice mail. But, did you remember to empty the in-box for it?
If you happen to be at a club, pub, bar or whatever, and a cell phone rings, beeps, chimes, sings, whistles or plays a tune, watch as half the people around you reach for their pockets and pull out their phones. It seems no one remembers his or her ring tone.
One thing is for sure, if you left your phone in the other purse, the car or under your pillow, you won’t be bothered by that silly ring tone. You also won’t be bothered to return the call if you didn’t empty your box. Another thing you can be sure of is when you are in a group, hearing a variety of rings, if you can’t remember what you last changed it to, you’ll miss a call.
My wife carries her cell phone in her pocket, and I always know when it rings because she squeals and jumps. It seems her ring tone scares her.
The invention of the wireless phone has made life easier for many by allowing them to be reached no matter where they may be. Of course they have to remember to take the phone with them. If they do because they are expecting a very important call to come in, it will do so when they visit a “dead zone.” In spite of the gazillion dollars spent sending satellites into our atmosphere and blighting the landscape with towers, there are still many of them.
The cell phone provides to those who can’t read an opportunity to announce their handicap. The posters requesting that all in attendance refrain from using their phones are ignored by those people. While in a doctor’s office, that had a number of posters requesting the phones be shut off, a person was on her phone in a loud voice, continuously.
When I made a return visit, I noted the sign had been changed to accommodate the ignorant. There was a picture of a cell phone with a circle and a big X. I guess I wasn’t the only one aggravated by the endless chatter.
Wireless phones have also made it easy to pick out people who make spectacles of themselves in a restaurant. (I know I’ve complained about this in the past — it bears repeating). They are the ones that sit at their table, with others, and yack as loud as possible. They look around and smile, as if we are to believe they are so important they must take calls while dining.
We all know better. Important people may answer a call and if it is truly important, but they step outside to take it.
To all those who yack on the phone in a restaurant, be advised: we all hear you, but we don’t care what you have to say. We came to enjoy a meal and conversation with those who joined us. Please take your calls later or step outside!