(humor)
But much as I hate cells, my vision turns simply red any time I'm in public with another person who suddenly feels compelled to make or take a call.
How do they typically explain the intrusion? Murmuring "I'm sorry, but I've got to take this. It's important" sounds so well rehearsed and insincere.
It's as though the other person is putting me on hold to tend to more important wireless business. But finally, after years of anguish, I've thought of a solution: I'm taking a book with me everywhere I go.
It'll work like this: if I'm having lunch or dinner or whatever with another person who's so inconsiderate as to interrupt the occasion by answering their phone (or decides to make a call or send a text) I'll yank out my book, find the paragraph where I left off, dig down and start reading.
I'm likely to keep on reading after their call ends, too ... because I ain't scared of big thick books. Which I'm expecting will prompt a cross-eyed, huffy response like, "OK you can put your book down now. I'm off the phone."
At which point I'll answer without looking up, "I'm sorry, but I've got to read this. It's important, too. "
At least, more important than your typical important cell phone call.
