PSA: Cell Phones in Restaurants

PSA: "Public Service Announcement"

I feel a bit weird for having to say this.

Yesterday, I took my cara spoza for her birthday lunch at a very nice Sushi restaurant (owned and run by Japanese ... authentic? Yes).

Well, it would have been nice, but it seems that people in a public place seem to believe that they have a private, sound-proofed bubble of silence that surrounds them as they bellow into their hand-held devices.

Hello, my name is geophf, and I am your friend.

And, as you friend, let me tell you something: you are being rude, rude, rude to every single person in the entire restaurant when you carry on your very loud side of your "private" conversation about your financial matters or your affairs at work (both inappropriate and not) or your family discord.

I don't know why I must tell you this, but, please show some respect. When you make a call, or when you receive a call, stand up from your table, and if possible (it nearly always is possible) step outside the restaurant and carry on your conversation. You don't even need to bellow, because, you know, modern devices are capable of carrying your voice and your recipient has volume control.

If you don't, and you are seated with other people at your table, what is the message you are giving to your guests or coworkers.

You are giving this message: "you are unimportant." You are further telling them this: "You are not worth as much time to me as the person I could call, or take the call from, at any other time of the day."

You know what you are saying about your parents when you do this? You are telling the world that your parents didn't raise you with manners, respect or dignity.

Oh, and the blue tooth. Take off the implant when you are talking with someone face-to-face.

Think about it the next time you think about making a call or taking a call during a meal. And then, when you've thought about it, DON'T take or make that call.

Or, continue as you are: thoughtless, inconsiderate, brutish, rude.

This is your call to make.