“I Have to Take This Call”

The Split Second-In Consideration of Others in These Trying Times

I said that I would conclude by discussing the “almighty” cell phone which is a significant part of my unpublished book The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others. The cell phone has obviously made a huge impact on our society. But I have one more thing to discuss. Please indulge me. Thank you

I have discussed taking out a cell phone when dining with others either while at home or in some time of restaurant or eating establishment. One practice that irks me greatly is when particularly I am with one other person in a restaurant; however, there can be others in attendance. The other person or one of the other people takes out the phone because it has either rung or vibrated. He/she looks at the phone and then says, “I have to take this call.” Usually, I hold my tongue when I really want to say, “No, you don’t HAVE to take it.”  This person will then engage in conversation, and the conversation is anything but an emergency; it is often extremely casual. I have had friends chat with a parent because, “he doesn’t text,” or simply because “it’s Mom’ (and this when I was picking up the tab). Once, after the “I have to take the call” statement, my dinner companion began to give step-by-step computer instructions to the person he had just left to join me for dinner. I responded after a few minutes of this, “You have one minute.” My friend said, “I have to go” and the conversation on the phone was over. Yes, I would have stood up and left if the “instructions” had gone on. Since then, all I must do is give a certain look (it’s not pretty) and my friend across from me speaking on his/her cell phone knows to say “Goodbye” and hang up. It is rude to carry on a conversation in ANY mode while at dinner and expect a dinner companion just to sit there and let it go on. I could “live with” the person answering the call and say,” I can’t talk right now; I will call you later.” Often, the caller will insist on talking but the one receiving the call needs to stand firm on that. And there is always the voicemail feature on phones.

 Still another short blog, folks!