The Ubiquitous CELL PHONE…A plea for etiquette!

In this digital world of ours the cell phone is here to stay…and rightly so. I have used mine to advantage many a time. I have a very inexpensive Tracfone. It is a nationwide prepaid wireless phone and I buy about 60 units of calling time every three months. The cost is approximately $8 per month and I can choose to cancel anytime that I want to.

I bought the attachment that connects my cell phone to the car and that is where I keep it most of the time. Very few people have access to my number because I only use it for emergencies…or for the occasional time that I am not near a phone and need to contact someone. This is how it works for me and I know that I am in the minority.

My son and his daughter both have very elaborate, extra-slim cell phones that do just about everything but pick up the weekly garbage. (Hers is actually pink!) He is in business for himself and his phone is his life-line…so I can understand the need there.

The thing that annoys me about cell phones is that they encroach on my privacy. I really do not want to hear someone’s life story when I am trying to concentrate on what to buy for dinner…or trying to enjoy dinner out, for that matter. When I was in Italy I would have sworn that every Italian male seemed to carry a cell phone. We used to joke that they were probably calling Mama to ask what to order for dinner!

I will never forget the time that I was stuck in an airport for hours waiting for the weather to change. A sloppy twenty-something male slouched down next to me and proceeded to phone a buddy. He then spent the next hour describing in great detail every female under the age of 50 that passed by his sight. They were having a great laugh over this and when he saw my look of disgust he said, “Hey, lady…you don’t have to listen”.

But that’s just the point….how can we NOT listen? I really resent this intrusion and hope that someday there will be a cell phone revolution…those of us who still treasure privacy will rise up and, at the very least, conduct courses in cell phone etiquette. The plan to restrict the use of phones while driving is gaining momentum and is actually enacted into law in some States. So, maybe there is hope after all.