Cell Phone Misuse

Cell phones.  We all have them and they make life a thousand times easier.  Need to call home because you're running late?  Need to check your bank balance?  Need to make a doctor's appointment before they close?  No problem!  Cell phones make it possible.  I remember when we didn't have cell phones and to make any calls away from work or home you had to stop at a pay phone.  Of course, that was back when every gas station, mall and restaurant actually had pay phones.  You had to dig out a dime. (Because there was no such thing as dollar thingys that spit your bill back at you if it was wrinkled.)  When the cost went up to a quarter, people were outraged!  Ah, the good old days.  Now, we can make a call wherever we are.  Sometimes that's not a good thing.  Once I was in line waiting to board a plane and the woman in front of me was having a long conversation with someone who apparently was located at our destination.  Everyone around her was treated to the details of her hotel (which smelled funny), the exorbitant price of her latte, and how she needed to get her brows done.  When the conversation turned to where she and the mystery caller should go for dinner that night, the man in front of her turned around and asked if she needed any recommendations from the rest of us.  Apparently she didn't realize that she was holding everyone else hostage to her conversation.  Ever notice those signs at some coffee shops that state they won't wait on you if you're talking on your cell phone?  I always tip them extra because there are few things worse than being stuck in line behind someone who is trying to order a specialty coffee drink using the Mime Method.  Really?  You can't be bothered to put your call on hold long enough to order and instead resort to hand signals, eye rolls and exaggerated silent lip movements?  And you expect the barrista to get it right?  I work with a lot of high school and college kids in my part time second job and, almost without exception, every single one of them is constantly on their phone.  Sending texts, receiving texts, checking Facebook, playing games, etc.  Did I mention we work for the public?  Half the time they aren't even aware of what they're doing and they don't seem to grasp the concept that our customers CAN SEE THEM!  They're always so puzzled when one of those customers gets upset about the crappy customer service they're giving because instead of taking care of the customer, they're on their phone!  It's not an age thing you twits!  It's a customer service thing!  I hate people who find it necessary to be on their phones during presentations, at church or anytime someone else is speaking.  It's just plain rude.  Were you raised by wolves?  What really annoys me are the people who "drive" and use their cell phone.  Notice I put the word drive in quotation marks?  That's because when you're on your phone yapping or, God forbid, texting, you are incapable of driving!  Today, for instance, I was on my daily commute and for 5 miles there were signs stating that the right lane over an upcoming bridge was closed.  Everyone got over except for one bozo who was too busy jabbering on his phone to pay attention to the signs.  He just about caused an accident when he suddenly realized his lane was ending in 15 feet and veered over, cutting off a semi.  (Those things don't stop on a dime you know.)  Once I watched a teenage girl swerve all over the road, back and forth into oncoming traffic.  When I was finally able to get around her, I saw she was busy texting instead of busy driving.  I hope, for her parent's sake, that she's stopped doing that because if she doesn't manage to kill herself, she's going to kill someone else.  No conversation is worth dying for.  People behaving badly.