CELLPHONE RINGTONES AND ETIQUETTE

I have a confession to make. I cannot stand all the ridiculous ring tones that people have on their cellphones. They drive me nuts and it doesn’t take long for my ears to rapidly flatten when I hear the latest version of a song ringing next to me. Along with that you have to deal with users who think it is their God given right to use and talk on their phones whenever and wherever they please.

Don’t get me wrong I understand you need to talk on them, but when one’s been waiting in the Woolworths “Express” queue for 20 minutes, one starts to get a tad testy when you have to listen to how much beer the guy behind you mate consumed and what a cool chick he got lucky with!! Or my personal favourite one, the 40 something woman, dressed like she is 16 talking to her husband/lover/whatever about what she’s got for supper tonight, interdispered with “miss you sweetie” and “lovie must I get some pudding as well?”.

Teenagers also rank up there on the irritability list with cellphones. The things seem to be glued to their ears, or they seem to be able to perform the amazing feat of walking and texting at the same time. It was said that FDR couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time, so this is some feat!! You cannot talk to a teenager these days without them constantly fiddling on their cellphones – to me it is not only the height of rudeness and bad manners, but it also demonstrates how dependent we’ve become on these little instruments to socialise. A whole new culture and language has evolved thanks to the cellphone. I suppose we should consider ourselves privileged to be witness to the birth of a new culture and revolution!

The Oscar though has to go to the idiot (and I use the term sparingly here!) who decides to carry on an entire conversation with someone on his phone whilst you are in the middle of watching a movie – its bad enough having to listen to his banal chatter about the braai, the hot new chick he got lucky with etc, but when you have to hear about the plot and sometimes – yes, believe it or not the ending – then I get quite cranky.

I have to smile though as I am writing this my phone is ringing and The Lion Sleeps Tonight is wafting through the room.

Excuse me while I go and answer it.

C U L8TR (translated see you later) according to my 13 year old cousins.