Cell phones are all the rage, and having the best looking phone with the most features seems to be a status symbol. Although I do appreciate my cell phone for emergency situations, I think that the use of cell phones in general in public is a very rude trend. In case you haven’t noticed just about everywhere you go, you hear someone ringing. These are not just normal rings either; they range from classical tunes to popular music songs. Most are very obtrusive, and most people don’t even have the common sense to shut them off when they are at a show or in a meeting.

I have noticed that lately more and more establishments are putting up signs asking people to turn off their cell phones or at least to not use them while they are receiving service at a window. I think that they should not have to tell people not to do this. People should realize that carrying on two conversations at one time is just a rude practice and should be avoided at all costs. Doctor’s offices, hospitals, and even pharmacies have put up these signs and even when you go to shows there are reminders to shut your phones off. I don’t want to watch a movie while listening to someone talk on their cell phone, if you don’t have time to go to the movies because you are so important then please just stay at home. I can see if you are in the grocery store and need to call home and check on something, but don’t do your entire grocery shopping while carrying on an entire conversation on your blue tooth, this is just rude. I think some people do it to seem like they are more important than they really are. If your life is running you to the point where you can’t be away from the phone for a few minutes to get some of life’s tasks taken care of, then you really need to take a look at that. For the most part, I just think that people don’t realize how rude it is to be waiting on someone and have them paying you no attention at all.

Take yesterday for instance, I was at the bank and this guy came in. He was on his cell phone when he entered the bank. No, we are not an establishment that has signs posted about cell phones, so we just have to deal with it. As he stood online he continued to talk and continued talking as he approached my window, he smiled and mouthed hello, so as not to let the person on the line know that he was carrying on another conversation. He handed me his 4 transactions and I began processing them. One check he had forgotten to sign, so I had to wave the pen in his face and point to the check so he could sign it. He was receiving back $2000.00 in cash, so I wanted to ask him how he wanted it, but I couldn’t, as now I am left feeling like if I interrupt his conversation then I am being rude. I count out his money, which I put mostly in large bills. Then he counts it, still on the phone and actively talking, and starts waving two one hundred dollar bills in my face which I go ahead and cash out for him. Then he mouths the words thank you at me and off he goes. How Rude!