It's the phone

Okay, because this is my blog, I'm thinking today of something that I can never quite figure out. Why do people answer their cell phones if they are in the middle of doing something. I mean I could understand if their relative was on death's door and they were waiting to hear news (either good, they've inherited or bad, they didn't). But if this isn't imminent, why bother? I mean, it's not like whoever it is won't try again in a few minutes anyway. We KNOW it will happen. Usually within a very few minutes that annoying jangle, jingle or whatever you have programmed to ring will ring once more if you didn't answer the first time. I have called people who have given me their cell phone numbers as "the" place to get a hold of them, and when I've called, they are at the dentist. Or the eye doctor. Or their in the bathroom (WHY would you answer the phone in there???). Or they are in the middle of doing brain surgery. Why do they stop and answer? I don't know, I swear I don't.

I shouldn't act as though I haven't done the same thing. I remember quite clearly being at a viewing for an acquaintance. I had neglected to turn off my phone and it rang while waiting in line to view the deceased and the family. I was mortified, but still quite a long way from the actual family, so I hastened to answer the phone and whisper into the receiver. It turned out to be my daughter who needed a ride. Oh, did I mention that her father was home, raking leaves at the time and perfectly capable of going to pick her up? NO? How about this, then. After I whispered hastily that I was in church and to call her father, she called back five minutes later! To tell me that he didn't answer the phone and she still needed a ride. Now, first of all, I had to take the call outside, thereby losing my place in the long line of mourners paying homage. Secondly, several of the bereaved were quite dismayed that my phone rang not once, but twice. I was ostracized before even getting a chance to be respectful! But in truth, I only answered to shut the damn thing up! I didn't really figure it was an emergency, I just didn't want anyone else to hear it.

And so the other thing I notice is this: the people who are talking on the phone while driving? Well, I sincerely doubt that they are taking emergency calls while doing this. First of all, most of them--and I do hate to point this out--are women. And they don't look frantic, they look engaged--in the conversation, not the driving. I have been cut off from more people on phones than any little old lady who can't see over the steering wheel. Most of the women I see are driving huge SUVs, and they are tooling through the middle of town without either a care to the speed limit or the surroundings. It's like seeing a tank coming at you except you can see who is driving and it doesn't appear that they see you!

I personally can't walk and chew gum at the same time, so I can't imagine how they do it. When my phone rings while I'm driving, I either pull over to answer or ignore it. Believe me, it will ring again. People who have to answer while they are doing something else are out to prove something, I just wish I knew what it was. And I hope I'm not in their path when they do it.