Cell Phones

Today, I saw, or rather heard, a woman on her cell phone in the bathroom. She was chatting away as she peed and didn't seem one bit distressed about carrying on a conversation while using the restroom.

It occured to me some time ago, when I started seeing people chatting away on their phones at the gym, that people can't live without those damn things. I, admittedly, own a cell phone and do love to receive calls -- it makes me feel very popular; unfortunately, those calls are few and far between -- however, I can't understand wanting to talk to another person under all circumstances. Isn't that why we have voice mail and answering machines?

I, for one, wouldn't like to be held accountable for conversation while I run. For one thing, I can't say I have the breath for talk. I have to focus on running, and I can't be discussing the various methods for cooking a chicken, and I absolutely don't want to have a chat about the weather, politics, or my job. I'm running to get away from all of that. I need the space and time to think and sort thoughts.

But some people, I assume, love to talk. It's obvious, not just from their cell phone use, but from their chatter at the gym. There's one older gentleman who always strikes up conversation with other gym goers on the treadmill, by the weight machines, or by the water fountain, and there's something so mind numbing about his talk, that I literally left the gym early yesterday to get away from it.

For me, there is nothing so pressing to discuss that I need to talk to someone while I exercise. And I really don't want to send or receive any calls. There is a time and a place for conversation, and those times and places are at night when you are in bed with your partner, at meals, at the bar, in the car, and when you need to invite someone somehwere, mull over puzzling or amusing events, or when you haven't spoken with that person in a long while. Running is not a time for talking, unless you are a cute couple who run together and wear matching outfits -- you're excused, because you're abnormal anyway.