If you're out to dinner with your wife and kids...

[YellowRubberDuckie]

Why are you talking on your CELL PHONE!?
We went out to dinner tonight at Chili's. We were in the mood for an Awesome Blossom and some dessert, so we headed over. We were seated in a back corner booth, and I could see most of the restaurant from where I was seated. I look over and there's a cute little family: Mom, Dad, three cute, well-behaved little boys. After we get our food, I notice the dad has disappeared. He returned from outside just as we were getting about halfway thru the blossom. He was on the cell phone. He continued to talk on the phone while the mom talked to the boys, and they colored and were having a good time. He was still talking when they got their food. When he got off to eat, he ignored the boys, who were chatting happily with their mom. Why do you go out to eat with your family then proceed to talk on the phone the entire time?! Nothing is more important than those little boys looking at you wishing you'd say SOMETHING to them. UGH. Why do these fuckers have kids if they are going to ignore them all the time!? :grr:
Duckie

[Sannum]

1. i loathe cell phones

I only use mine during emergencies. There need to be rules in restaurants about phones. Nothing is worse than having a meal next to some asshat trying to look important by yammering on on his phone.

[AlCzervik]

2. It's obnoxious and i'm goning to guess that it's all about him

all the time you know, everything.

[Lilyhoney]

3. Maybe he was doing business.

Ya know so he can afford to take his wife and children out to dinner. But I don't know, I was'nt there. Maybe he was on the phone with a relative in the way of the storm.

Sounds like you should have spent more time paying attention to your dinner company.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

4. We were...I was talking to him...

But how could I help but notice? And I overheard some of the stuff he was talking about...and it wasn't the storm and it wasn't business. It was a movie and some story that was completely not business related. He was loud, ok?
Duckie

[Lilyhoney]

6. Thanks for elaborating.

Makes the picture more clear.

I myself am feeling confrontational. Maybe I should go over to GD.

Sorry duckie. Here have one on me:beer:

[Floogeldy]

8. I'm looking for an argument.

So what's your problem? HUH?

;)

[Lilyhoney]

10. That is a whole other thread I am not sure I want to start.

:) If I change my mind, I will start a thread just to fight with you.

[Floogeldy]

11. Whatsa matter? You CHICKEN?

;)

[Lilyhoney]

13. I like to yell when I argue. It seems to get

lost in translation over the computer. But in writing, I can use verbal abuse which is exciting. But since I called my mother a fucking bitch this morning and then spent 2 hours appoplgizing to her this afternoon, I am honestly a little run down.

And it is a buzz kill. Although I am about to start drinking, so either I will be alseep in 2 hours or here being verbally abusive to you while I yell at the computer. :spank:

[Floogeldy]

5. Duckie

You really shouldn't concern yourself so with the lives of strangers.

;)

[YellowRubberDuckie]

14. What the hell is that on your sig line?

It's giving me the wiggins. I try not to, but I love kids and it's hard to not feel sorry for kids whose parents ignore them.
Melissa

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

23. That's a chupacabra, and a scary one, too!

[Floogeldy]

32. She won't hurt you.

I promise. ;)

[Floogeldy]

31. Well . . .

. . . you are an excellent person. ;)

[Fleshdancer]

7. when my husband needs to answer a call at the restaurant....

he goes outside. Why? Because he doesn't want to be rude and even if he didn't care, I would never tolerate it. I hate cell phones in restaurants.

[caty]

9. Reminds me of

"Cats in the Cradle".
by Harry Chapin


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew,
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad.
You know I'm gonna be like you."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."

My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, "Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's ok."
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed,
Said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."

Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."

I've long since retired and my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you."
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."

[CanuckAmok]

16. Are you suggesting he was talking to Cat Stevens? Because that's...

...quite a leap without having all the facts.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

24. And then he got killed

Just for writing that sappy song, he had it coming ........

[havocmom]

12. With all that went on this week, what got to me was watching a mother

and toddler son with no connection at all. Cute little kid, really bright, but mom just doesn't care. She plays at motherhood, but really doesn't want it.

Still processing all I got from that one hour, but man, it sure as hell answered a lot of questions I have had about human behavior and personality disorders, motivation for distructive patterns and rage one can see in so many people.

Kids deserve love. They understand that at some level they cannot actually voice. Even tiny ones know they are being abused when they do not receive affection they need. They cannot understand or even chronical the injustice of rejection by parents who pretend to love but nver actually do. It sets too many people up for a livetime of pain which they will take out on innocents.

My heart is breaking for what pain the little people suffer by the neglect of people who love the idea of having kids but who are not the least bit interested in the realities of having kids. No pity for the idiot parents who are blind to the blessings that raising children can be. Fuck those fools. But oh, the children. And WOE the world they will create with their rage.

For evidence of my premise, look to the current resident of the WH.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

15. Could be a doc.

Can't be sure.

I did once see this guy, accompanied by what sexists would likely refer to as a "hot chick," jabbering away on his cellphone and ignoring said chick. Go figure.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

26. In a restaurant in the Hamptons one summer evening,

Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley came in (they were still married to each other), and they barely spoke over their meal. They said a few things, but, mostly, they just ate.

Maybe they were just hungry?

Hell, when we go out, we're chattering away like a couple of monkeys.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. My first thought was "Maybe he's an important businessman"

but then I realized that if he were an important businessman he wouldn't be eating at Chili's.

Probably some local third-tier broker or insurance salesman or something wanting to be important, but knowing in his heart he really never will be, except that his bank thinks his three mortgages are important.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

27. Real estate agent

Sucking up to a possible client?

[Rabrrrrrr]

35. That's a good guess!

Probably trying to live a 4000 square foot house on a 2000 sqaure foot house salary, and constantly desperate for commissions cuz he overspent cuz he defines himself by the size of his house and his wife has to be sure to be seen driving the biggest SUV at soccer practice.

[Ksec]

18. I resisted buying a cell

until a few weeks ago. My wife insisted we get one. I think its good when shes out driving the car by herself, in case of a breakdown but this crap of constant cell phone usage in restaurants or whatever is wrong.

[hickman1937]

19. And then again, maybe he was Mom's brother, or friend.

If he was the Dad, it will catch up with him later. He must not watch much cable TV. Every other commercial tells you how to be a be a good parent.

[RoyGBiv]

20. I have a philosophy ...

If I'm not home, and you're not with me, I probably don't want or need to talk to you. Some say that is harsh or rude or whatever. Perhaps I'm getting old and starting to use phrases like, "Back in my day . . ." a bit too much. Regardless, the fact remains I have somehow managed to survive going out with friends and family and not being anywhere near a phone my entire life, and I firmly believe my relationship with those friends and family has remained strong in part because of that. We actually see each other and do things together rather than call each other while screaming down the highway at 70mph just to say "hi."

If I might be needed elsewhere enough that my time with others should be interrupted, I wouldn't make plans with them in the first place.

[hickman1937]

21. OMG.

:yourock:

[darkenedhalo]

22. I "forget" and leave it in the car

I'm in IT and have to have the damned thing with me 24/7 but often I will accidentally "forget" and leave it in the car for hours on end. Usually people wont even bother to leave a voice mail so how important could it really be anyway?

[RoyGBiv]

25. Exactly ...

Where I work, the head of security was required to take his cell phone with him when he left on vacation. (How a company gets away with "requiring" you to do anything when you're "off the clock" I have no idea, but I digress.) He did as ordered, but left the thing off all the time. He would check his voice mail twice per day. During the entire week he was gone, not one person left a message.

He got back and had half a dozen people jumped his butt for not answering his phone. "Did you leave a message?" he would ask. "Well, no ..." His response was precisely what you said. His deputy was perfectly capable of taking care of everything in his absence, but some people just couldn't be bothered to follow proper procedure and called him first, full knowing he was on vacation.

I HATE cell phones, in case it wasn't obvious. :-)

[OldLeftieLawyer]

28. I hate phones

The phones in our home don't ring, because it annoys me. The machine gets the messages, and when I get around to it, I return the calls. My cell phone is on, but I ignore it and screen calls when they come in - and it's always set only to "vibrate."

The way I figure it, if I wanted to talk to you, I'd get in touch. Just because someone wants my attention doesn't mean they can get it whenever they want.

This, of course, drives our kids nuts.

[RoyGBiv]

29. Me too, actually ...

I am lucky enough to work for a company that provides my phone service, with all kinds of fancy features. One of these features actually allows the phone to exist without me wanting to throw it into the street. I have a list of phone numbers set up that are always allowed to get through: my daughter and my mother. My boss calling me generates a single, short ring. (She's a nice boss and never calls me unless the situation is truly important.) Everything else doesn't generate a ring at all and gets transferred to voice mail.

Everyone who wants to get in touch with me knows the best way to do so is to send me an e-mail.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

33. You'll appreciate this

When my first book was sold, my agent - who had never met me in person and who had only spoken with me on the phone twice - dug in and refused to send me my advance check unless I spoke with her for 30 minutes.

She demanded all of this via e-mail.

I gave in, she sent the check. She's still my agent, but she knows that email is the best way to get a response from me.

[RoyGBiv]

34. Excellent!!!

Oh, that gave me a good chuckle. Thanks. :-)

[darkenedhalo]

30. Same thing here

I have had to take mine on vacation the last 2 times I went. I am taking a cruise to Mexico in about 3 weeks and have already been told I have to take it on the boat with me! And of course I get no extra compensation for this. On my last vacation I took the cell with me but Ill be damned if I didn't forget to take the charger! Maybe Ill "forget" to take the charger again, lol.