Okay, is this a cosmic joke on me?
Tonight all you blogger friends who commented about my last post, the one about cell phones, came to mind. Why, you ask? Read on.
This evening I took my daughters to the theater, to see a play which starred one of their friends. Marvelous play! But guess what?
Yes, even though we'd been told three times in the moments preceding the play to silence our cell phones, the gray-haired fellow (65?) who sat directly behind Caroline let his phone ring twice before the play began. He gleefully sent a return text to whoever rang him up, after telling and showing his wife all about it.
"Okay," I thought. "This is too funny considering all the cell phone yapping I've been doing in the last, oh, 24 hours. He'll mute his phone in a few minutes. Calm down, old girl. You're being too critical. Iain says this guy's connecting. Lighten up! Something to admire. Find it. Well, he IS keeping his wife and friends entertained with his stories of getting drunk on different types of beer and wine-in-a-box." (Sometimes one can't be too picky on the sort of thing admired.)
The lights darkened, the play began, I relaxed. Five minutes into a 90 minute performance his phone rang. The sound split the silence in the audience. He eagerly sent a return text. The phone rang again, again, again, again, again, six times all together in the first half of the program. When I turned my chin over my shoulder in a sort of sidelong glance, he responded, "Oh, sorry."
You may think I'm lying, or at least exaggerating, and I know I am struggling with a bad attitude about this, but the ringing happened again, again, again, again, again and again before the play was over. Yes, six more times during the second half, twelve in all. I counted. I breathed deeply, and I counted, and I really did enjoy the play - somehow!
TWELVE TIMES!! (Taking shallow breaths now, can you tell?)
We were sitting in the center of the theater so there was a large circle of irritated, passive people who were too polite?/self-conscious?/chicken? to say anything.
Funny thing? During the 15 minute intermission, yep, his phone was quiet. Not a peep.
Oh well.
(Bottom of the Pacific Ocean!!!!)
11 comments:
Cherie,
What a jerk,that guy was!
Tom
Yes, honey, he was. I know there are more important things in the world to put my attention on, and I know this too shall pass, but geez louise. Funny how the 'all at once' stuff seems so big! Humorous, yeah. Thanks for the sympathy!
I definately would not have kept quite. I got angry just reading the post! No patience for that kind of rude!
Cherie,
there is connecting and there is rude. this man was rude but well done you for finding something to admire..!!!
Hmmm... aren't phones equipped with "silent" mode? So even if you don't turn it off, you can still send and receive texts noiselessly. You'd think he would have at least done that much. Sheesh.
Ohh that WAS terable Mom! I promise when you buy me a cell phone I wil NEVER do that! ; )
Kidding!
Really though it was really bad of that man.
Cassie
Sandy, I think I would have been madder if it wasn't so ironic, this happening to me on the heels of my last post. I think we in the audience all stayed calm because it was a high school play and we didn't want to 'make a scene,' like the old dude wasn't already MAKING one. Like I said, chickens. You come with me next time, okay, give me courage? :-)
Liz, you are right, a distinct difference between connecting and rude. Thanks for the encouragement, about admiration. Is it working for you, too?
Pam, I know!! Silent mode. I thought he'd do that. It's what I did, and I saw others all around muting or turning off their phones. Too much wine-in-a-box, maybe??
Cassie, you'll get a phone one day, and I know you'll be polite. Otherwise, all our blogger friends, will magically appear and box your ears!!
I get aggravated when someone's phone rings in the movie theatre. Not turning your phone off at a LIVE performance is unforgiveable! What a self-centered TWAT!!
Amen, tshs. AMEN!!
This is funny too and maddening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
: )
Katey B. - "maddening".....good choice of word!
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