Shelby's Life and Whatnot

Here's An Idea--Turn It Off

Today was uneventful. The weather was alternately lousy and beautiful. It would pour rain for 5 minutes, then the sky would clear and be blue with fluffy white cloud, then 10 seconds later, total downpour. I slept most of the day--I think making up time from the Vienna trip.

I was very irritated in class tonight, however. I was a little worried when I got there because it was 6:00 by my watch and I was the only person there. Class is supposed to start at 6. But soon enough Tang, the Chinese woman, arrived and then our teacher did. It looked like we were going to have a class of 2 until The Chinese Guy Who's Always Late came in late and the Columbian Woman I Want To Throttle came in even later.

So we were off to a nice class, when a cell phone rings. And of course it's an obnoxious singsongy type of ring. The Columbian woman then gets out the phone, which is quite loud. She then answers the phone in class, has a little chat, then hangs up. To her credit I believe the word school came up (she speaks only Spanish) and she did look annoyed. So hopefully that was that. Ha. We should be so lucky. Half an hour later, the phone rings again. This time she just hangs it up, but a few seconds later it rings again and what does she do? That's right. Answers the phone in class and proceeds to have a little chat again.

I was dumbfounded. I find many cell phone users to be irritating in general, but this even more so. Don't want the person to call back? Here's an idea--turn the phone off! I can't think of any reason why she would need her phone to be on during class. Okay, I can think of a few, but they only involve medical crises, and I tell you she's no doctor (in fact, she's a hair stylist). And even if you do for some reason need your phone on--say you're waiting for an organ transplant and need to be available at all times--put the phone on vibrate, sit by the door (not all the way across the room), and when the phone rings leave quickly and cause as little disruption as possible.

Apparently basic etiquette is beyond some people. I mean even if the phone rings, at least go outside of the classroom to have a conversation. That's rude, sure, but not nearly as rude as holding a conversation in class. Particularly in a class of 4 people where it is entirely disruptive. I just don't see why she couldn't turn her phone off for an hour and a half and return calls when the class was over. And it was clear from her conversation that the disruption was unnecessary.

I just don't get the sense of entitlement that some people with cell phones have. As if the world is just going to stop and wait for you to take this call. I have a friend who is a family therapist and he says that he even has clients who take phone calls and have conversations during therapy. How pathetic is that? I mean what is so pressing you can't wait an hour for? And somehow these cell phone users seem to think that they become invisible and silent while on the phone, as if the rest of us don't hear or see them while they chat. Not to mention the phenomenon of Cell Yell. I absolutely hate people who take up my time with their rudeness.

I'm so irritated.