A Call for Concern (+ apology)

So the other day I got on the subway and I sat across from some normal looking dude who was holding a cellphone. He had like a headset with the earbuds and stuff. Looked like he was on the way to work. And I noticed he was talking on the cellphone. Like conversational style. Not loud or obnoxious. Just sort of replying to stuff. Like, 'Yeah... right.... like 20 minutes.... Yeah.... no I didn't forget...' stuff like that. I stared at him as the train pulled away-- and then it clicked in that he was doing something I'd never ever seen before...

I was like, 'Holy shit! That dude is talking on his cellphone! On the subway!! In a tunnel! How's he get a signal!?' Yeah, I've heard rumors about cellphone access being piped in underground somehow but I always figured that was on the list of, 'Sht That Ain't Ever Happening But Still Nice to Talk About'. Along with flying cars, robot sex girls and anything to do with Jupiter.

I got a little nervous about being so out of touch. Like, I figured if they were really going to move forward with something like cellphone access underground-- there would be protests geek talk and press! (I was already annoyed by the idea of hearing jerks yammer on my quiet subway rides but whatever). I watched him talk for another second. He was all, 'Yeah... I know I will check into it but... I know... but... ' Or whatever. Like he was being interrupted by the person on the other line.

Then my brain mentally slapped my face.

Stupid! Wake up! There's no cellphone access in the subway! Of course, I would have heard about it! I'm not that much of a hermit! That dude is just mental! Or playing stupid public games with himself by himself! I looked around for someone filming him like this was some lame youtube stunt or something. But nobody seemed to really be acknowledging this guy but me. People treated this guy like any other crazy subway talker. After a bit he ended his conversation and just sat there staring at his phone. Never made eye contact with me.

Now and then I've been secretly guilty of having imaginary conversations on my cellphone while walking down the street. Sometimes I just can't resist talking to myself to sort out something in my head. And having the cell as an excuse makes it easier. But this subway guy talker crossed lines! And yah it was concerning to see that particular brand of crazy spill over to someone who was still wired...

ok bye!

tOdd

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PS> Apology of sorts...

So last week I posted some blahdiddyblah about how coolio it is to be an Uncle and I got a couple emails from people (parents) telling me that I came off sort of obnoxious about how easy it is to be 'cool' as an Uncle. with the float in, goof around and be cool, then float out. Apparently I didn't really acknowledge into how exhausting it is to be a parent and how "annoying" it is to have this "advantage" flaunted or whatever.

I didn't mean to really piss off parents by that post by sounding braggy-- but sometimes I think parents sometimes look at the lives of single people and only see the upside. Like the fact that we're able to like go out whenever and see actual grownup movies and stuff. And have time alone. I think over time the downsides gets dismissed and the whole single thing is romanticized. Yes, there advantages obviously-- but some days it's not all that awesome walking into an empty house (dog not included) and that shouldn't be forgotten by you parent people chasing kids around.

ok bye!
tOdd

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