In the new Bill Murray movie, "Broken Flowers," there is a scene where Bill Murray's character gets a phone call from his neighbor. That neighbor is calling from his cell phone and we watch the conversation unfold as the neighbor (still talking) walks across Bill Murray's front yard, enter Mr. Murray's house and then stand next to Mr. Murray... all the while talking to him on the cell phone. As the neighbor is standing next to Mr. Murray, he says "hold on," and begins to speak to Mr. Murray directly. After a few minutes of back and forth, this neighbor begins to walk away and once again begins talking to Mr. Murray on his cell phone.
When I saw this scene, it was funny. Everyone around else watching thought it outlandish and humorous. An exaggeration of what life with a cell phone has become.
Well, that exaggeration became reality as I left work the other day. As I walked outside, I noticed a woman yelling into her cell phone in that voice level only reserved for cell phone conversations. As she talked, she ran into the street, flagged down a car, and yelled into her phone, "park right here." And proceeded to walk the car to a parking spot and give parking instructions over the phone (all while standing next to the driver's window.
She continued, "I am going to run in here for a moment and you can keep the car running and I will be right out."
It then dawned on me that she was talking on her cell phone to the person in the car she was literally standing next to. Not only was she talking to the person in that car, she was doing so in that loud cell phone voice. Clearly the driver of the car had no need for a phone as she could easily hear the woman talk through the thickest of car windows.
I then remembered the scene from Broken Flowers. It was no longer funny but sad. How sorry have we become that we can literally be standing next to someone and have to talk to them on a phone rather than articulate a problem and discuss it. I feel sorry for that woman on the street corner and for that neighbor. I feel pity for that woman on her phone on the highway zig zagging through traffic and that guy on the train interviewing over his cell phone or discussing his bank account.
Cell phones are a convenience, almost a necessity, but people... Put down your phones. Knock on the window and calmly say, "park here, I'll be right back."
Originally submitted on September 28th, 2005.
I think sometimes people get caught up in what they're doing, but don't stop and think as often as they could about whether it makes sense. I have a bad habit of hesitating to take buses that come to my stop, even if I know they're going the same place I want to go, because I'm set on the idea of taking "my" bus. I've spent a lot of extra time waiting for buses because of this!
Originally submitted January 14, 2006.
I have something to share in regards to the fellow who witnessed the answering of a cell phone in a public restroom. One of my family members is a multi-million dollar lease negotiator for technological equipment, call him Joe. One time he mentioned that he was negotiating a deal, at the airport I believe, and a call came thru just as he was heeding the call (of nature that is.) Unfortunately for him, the prospective client didn’t think too highly of hearing the ambient sounds of toilet flushes. The details are a little hazy, but I gather that the client simply hung up without saying good bye. Bear in mind this person is less than acquainted with Joe. It’s an ambivalent situation for me, do I sympathize more for Joe, a close family member, or the flabbergasted client? Well I say good going for the client. I probably would have done the same. I personally never answer the phone when I’m on the throne, or eating, or watching a movie that I really enjoy. Maybe if the call is very important I’ll interrupt my eating or movie, that’s it.