Today was quite stressful, I had to do tons of shopping for various items of need for my upcoming Alaska trip. Hocking with the folks at Gander mountain who thought I was nuts for not bringing a .44 magnum in the woods and only bringing two long guns to Alaska caught my nerves. All I wanted was a sling for my shotgun, and a sling for my Moisin, nough said, but no everyone had to have a look at my antique rifle that was bought purely for shooting kedem wine bottles from 100 yards and nothing else. “Gotta load those rounds yourself eh”, “Wow M91/30 where’d ya get that?” Leave me alone I wanted to scream at the various camo clad hunters gearing up for deer season.
Then I had to sit in line at Wal-Mart while buying film, bungees and tie downs for my roof. Then I mosied on down to Wegmans to see what kind of grains they had for fast cooking. Finally I hit up Barnes and Nobles for The milepost- the bible for travel to the North.
6:30 arrived and I decided to hit up the dollar theater in Rochester. I have not been to a movie in 4 months, and just needed to wind down and forget about all the stress in thinking about driving and hiking 5000 miles away from home. Theres nothing like a movie to take your mind off all the chores of the day. Let non-reality take over and zone out, kind of like TV but more entertaining. Being enclosed in a theater away from- computers, phones, faxes, blackberry’s, and all that other greaqt stuff. To be left alone with the scene’s on screen.
In the packed theater I sat in a lone seat on the aisle. I noticed the lights dim and everyone turn their cell phones to silent. I noticed the man behind me text messaging someone, as if he could leave his phone for a couple of hours.
I sat their kind of bored watching the Davinca Code-= the book was way better- when all of the sudden the two men next to me started looking at their phones. I was infuriated, not because of the light emanating from the phone, but because these simple gestures zapped into the one place I wanted so much to leave, REALITY.
Of course we al have stories similar to this one or may be guilty of this cruel sin. But I am pissed at the cell phone culture. Yes I am one of those people that rarely turns on their phone and when on vacation keeps it off. I understand the addiction. My question is this- Would people rather talk on the phone then enjoy real life company?
I see two people together both talking on the phone or texting. I see people riding their bikes in the woods with headsets on, joggers, dog walkers, movie goers, people on dates. When will this madness end. The absolute last place where I want to see phones is 30 miles into the back country. BUT NO- while hiking in the Adirondacks two weeks ago three kids stood about their leanto trying to pick up a signal. If I was bigger and had balls I would have beat the hell out of them and threw their phones off the cliff.
I was at a Phil Lesh show recently and during sets people picked their phones up. What is the point of picking up your phone and telling the person you will call them later. Dude you are at a show for the music, not to talk to your friends.
It strikes me as odd that everyone keeps saying how much time they have and how much more convenient everything is. So why on earth can people just enjoy their time rather then always yapping away?
Sincerely a pissed off movie goer
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Steve, you have to give me a call BACK, you know! oh my gosh… what if I have been calling the wrong number all this time. That would be awful. Anyway, I REALLY miss talking to you and Brockport won’t be the same without our chats and me driving home on the expressway at 3 am. Hence, my home phone is 585.671.4379 and I’ll give you my cell some other time. I got a new one, and it has color. how annoying is that? learning that thing was like taking another college course, so thank heavens I did it over the summer or I’d be screwed.
Love, Maureen
YES.
I scored big-time in my personal war of resentment towards people that gab away on the fucking cell phones while on the public bus.
I know, you’re saying, “jeez, get a real problem already, I know…”
But listen up, for the most part, I have just learned to put up with it.
I mean, it’s 2007- things aren’t the way they used to be. Half of the people on this bus weren’t even alive at the advent of mobile phones, so I realize, it’s a different world now.
Okay.
But this fucking bitch man …
So it’s the end of the afternoon, major bus route. The bus is crowded beyond belief. All of us that are standing have to push all the way to the back, two deep in the isle.
I am all the way to the back and there is the FAT FUCKING white trash trailer park fucking looking like BITCH of about thirty-five just gabbing away at what seems like the top of her lungs.
I mean, I am sure that the bus driver all the way up front could hear her too! And this was a bus jam-packed with people!
She finally ends the call. Only to immediately dial another again.
I am ready to smack her.
Only problem is, I’m not the type…
The person who answers the phone cant talk. She says, ok, call me back at [412] 758-5383, (that might be it actually)
…talk to you soon.
AHAhhh!!!!!FUCKING YES, score!!!
I reach into my bag and very discreetly extract a pen, turn the other way, and write the number on the back of my hand. I make a point to show no interest in the woman at all.
In a few minutes I get off the bus at my stop — a busy intersection with a PAY PHONE on the corner. [ding ding ding, we have a winner here]
The bus is ambling away down the street as my two quarters fall down into the coin slot. With great excitation, I dial the number.
“Please hold while your party is reached…”
She answers it – “Hello?”
I say in a loud whisper, careful to be as clear as I can:
“Listen you fat fucking whore, I am calling from the front of the bus and if you don’t fucking can the fucking phone calls, I am going to come back there and slap you, then shove that god-damn phone down your throat, you got that? Not everyone on this bus wants to hear your fucking idiotic yap, you fucking cow!”
Silence.
I say to her: “did you fucking hear me?”
Not a sound. You know she is doing the best she can to stretch her head and see if someone up front has their phone to their ear…
Thing is, half the cocksuckers on the bus are gabbing away on cell phones as well…
Fat fuck.
Silence on her end.
I hang up the phone and give her a chance to think about it.
I am 98% sure she had no recollection of just having given out her number five minutes ago.
I would love to have been one of the other people on the bus just then. I can’t even begin to imagine the look on her face.
Revenge? satisfaction?
Priceless
Wow, what a rant, a bit too much cursing for my taste but you speak the truth man.