Phone Home

Today I sat in an office waiting room and felt bereft because I left my phone at home on the charger.

Every so often this happens, leaving me feeling vulnerable and sort of technically naked. 

It was not boring as I watched people come and go. I got there a bit early  - just an offer to pick up someone else who had an appointment. I twiddled my thumbs,  is that even allowed anymore?

A middle aged woman and an early teen age girl sat the closest to me, both nose deep in their electronics.

Suddenly there was a loud wail from one of the offices hidden from view.  The sound caused the other woman and I to `eye meet` with a similar opened mouth surprised look.

We began to talk about voices carrying, about kids with no inside voice control, and then she told me how her mother learned to "holler" clear across the military base to call her and her siblings home.  She pointed to the girl and said that her youngest could have put that crier we heard to shame with her wailing as a baby.

It was a delightful conversation that was accompanied by her squirming daughter whose face kept getting more contorted.

The mother turned towards the kid with the questioning face.  Daughter lowered her voice and with great indignation growled, "mom, what is wrong with you."  Accents on all the right words to project the  magnitude  of the egregious social misstep  her mom was making.

Mom had admitted to hearing loss, so I'm thinking daughter thought this old woman was deaf too.

My laughter popped out before my hand could smother it.

"It's what we did before cells and tablets!"  I chuckled.

The mother agreed, shook her head at the girls still incredulous expression, then said farewell as they got called in for their appointment.

Hope I forget my phone again, soon.


Comments

Coffeypot said…
A happy ending. I am pleased. If it had been me, I would have backhanded the girl and stomped her phone. Well, I would have thought about it anyways.
Since my phone is always on the wall at home I see so many people engaged with their phones instead of where they are and what they are doing. Scary that some have forgotten how to communicate:(
Intense Guy said…
I was just telling my mom, all these tools for communication, and no one communicates any more!!!

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