Cell Phone Etiquette
Posted by Bob Barcus on February 25th, 2013
Last week, I needed to stop by the Dollar General store in Rochester and quickly pick up a few items. First, Mom asked me to get some instant coffee for her while I was in town. My response was, "Sure! I have to stop by Dollar General anyhow." I also needed to pick up some dry erase markers and I needed to get some vegetable juice.
When I got up to the checkout, there were two women in line. The woman at the head of the line (and obviously in control of our fate for the next few moments) was wearing pajamas and talking on her cell phone. The lady behind the cash register was being very patient, but it became painfully obvious that this trip was going to take longer than I expected.
As the checkout lady finished ringing up the items, the woman wearing pajamas continued talking on her phone. Unable to hold the phone in the crook of her neck, she opted to hold her change purse within a nose's length of her mouth as she continued chatting. Holding the purse and her cell phone in the same hand was a marvelous performance. Peaking into the depths of her tiny purse, she pulled one coin out at a time, handing each one individually to the woman at the register. At this point, I could tell that this was obviously a very important call - one that required her utmost attention.
Several coins into the transaction, the cashier picked up her own phone and called for assistance to help with the growing line. I was ecstatic when another cashier appeared and I quickly broke ranks and stepped up to form a new line. Just as I was finished with my own transaction, I noticed that the woman with the cell phone, pajamas and coin purse had finally finished up her transaction and was headed out the door just ahead of me. Mustering every bit of physical prowess, my feet leapt into action - moving my bulk ahead of the cell phone lady. I got into my truck and headed out of the parking lot well ahead of her - avoiding the inevitable road rage that I knew would surface had I been stuck behind her a stop light.
Now, I was in no great hurry that day, but I was perturbed by either her ignorance or lack of respect for others. The phone conversation she was having was neither intense nor important (from my perspective). I could be wrong, but it would seem to me that no great accomplishments can be had while talking on your cell phone in your pajamas in a Dollar General checkout lane.