Stop right now. I am warning you. I said stop right now!!!
@Hatley (163776)
Garden Grove, California
November 13, 2009 11:47am CST
Hi a while back after having lunch at my favorite restaurant,
I strolled down the short walk to the parking lot, bent on
going over to Vons market. but about half way down I heard this
strict angry voice tell me, "Stop right now.I am warning you,
I said stop right now. Or else."well I had cut off this police officer at the cafe from paying his bill. while he had stooped over to tie a shoelace, I slipped in front of him and paid my'
bill. I was in a hurry to get my shopping done. So I figured maybe this man was angry at me. I turned around, only to find this tall man in a business suit, talking angrilyinto his cell phone. He looked at me with an annoyed look, so I turned back and hurried away. Have any of you ever thought someone was really talking to you only to find they were actually yelling into their cell phone?
8 people like this
31 responses
@GardenGerty (160721)
• United States
14 Nov 09
You would think they would show some shame or embarrassment when you turn around and look into their business.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
14 Nov 09
hi fwidman and gerty yes you would think they would know you
do not have to yell, and it does get annoying. You sort of
feel like an eavesdropper although it is not your fault either.
@sweetie1026 (1718)
• Philippines
18 Nov 09
Yes, a few times and often these people look at me as if i were eavesdropping at their phone conversation, when it was they who were so annoying that you could not stop yourself from looking at who was talking too loud, that made you think it was you, they were talking to. A lot of people lack this phone etiquette. I do not know if they are aware that their voice is loud enough for all the people around to hear them. I even know a lady who speaks so loud on her phone and then covers her mouth as if to keep what she was saying a secret, when all along everyone could hear her.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi sweetie I am beginning to think when people buy cell phones
there should be a small booklet on etiquette on phones. some
sure could use it like the jerk yelling at the hapless person
on the other end of the phone. I felt sorry for whoever it
was.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
19 Nov 09
hi sweetie cell phones seem somehow to change people'
a bit
@sweetie1026 (1718)
• Philippines
18 Nov 09
Yes, i think that is a great idea. A nice day to you dear friend.
1 person likes this
@riyasam (16556)
• India
26 Nov 09
that was funny!!a few years back,ii was walking along a pavement when i heard somebody telling,i love you.my first reaction was to speed up my pace but i did look back out of curiosity and saw him talking into his cell phone!how foolish i felt!@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Nov 09
hi riyasam yes that would make me speed up too if I thought
some strange man was saying I love you.wow. yes it would
make one feel really foolish. Like the time someone walked
into my living room while I was helping one of my kids with
the potty. Assuming it was my husband who had just came in
I called, okay honey I will be out there in a minute. You can imagine the look on my face when my honey turned out to be a six foot tall black man carrying a brief case.He was selling insurance. I did not know whether to laugh,cry or be terrified. he had come inside my home when I called out honey. but he turned out to be as embarrassed as I was. He did not get to make a sales with me as I am hardened against door to door sales people. lol
@corrycrystal (1775)
• Malaysia
14 Nov 09
Hi, Hatley!
If I were you, I would be startled as well. Some people really have no phone etiquette. That was annoying at that time, but it was funny when you talked about it he he...
I had this kind of experience before, but it was my ex-colleague who was talking and not yelling. I was asking him something and he replied, and I asked him something again and he replied, until one moment when my question was not answered and I turned around only to find him actually 'hanging' on the phone!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi corrycrystal yes it was scary at the time as I was so sure
'the cop had got mad at me, then when I saw the guy was
yelling to someone on the phone I was so relieved.
@corrycrystal (1775)
• Malaysia
14 Nov 09
Oh, I think I posted this as the same time as above response!
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
13 Nov 09
Yes, this has definitely happened to me, especially when they have a "hands-free" device, because then it is even harder to tell that they are on the phone.
When I am on the phone in public, I try to avoid looking at anybody and try to keep my head down, so that people will realize that I am on the phone.
When I am on the phone in public, I try to avoid looking at anybody and try to keep my head down, so that people will realize that I am on the phone.1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
14 Nov 09
hi purplealabaster oh its sort of funny whenI worked in the library there was a sign on the door saying please turn off yourcell phones, but one man was listening to music on his,and one of the clerks asked me to find out if that man was ill as he
was jiggling his foot up and down. so I went over to him then i could hear the music and saw he was keeping time to the rhythm of the music. I went back and told the clerk and she laughed.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
14 Nov 09
That is pretty funny, but it also could have been quite embarrassing if you hadn't handled it as well as you did, especially since the other clerk thought he was ill. I am glad that you checked to make sure before taking any more drastic measures. Someone once called the cops on me, because I was sitting in the parking lot talking on my cell phone. Talk about embarrassing!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
oh wow that would be embarrassing.I was just so glad that
the talker was a stranger not the cop from the restaurant.
@lovelyn_medrano (3070)
• Philippines
13 Nov 09
Well now actually yelling but I though the person was talking to me. The person was looking straight to my direction and talking as if he was telling something to me ( he was using a hands free phone heheheh). @Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
14 Nov 09
hi lovely--which would make you think he really was talking
to you specially as he was looking at you. that is so funny.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
lovelyn hi yes when they talk so loud and look at you
its hard to know if they r eally were wanting to
talk to you for whatever reason.
@lovelyn_medrano (3070)
• Philippines
14 Nov 09
That is really funny! But I really felt embarassed because I was like, huh??? Then I answered back to him... then I realize okay he was not talking to me... 
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
14 Nov 09
Wow!! This would have been a scary feeling for sure, and glad they were only on their cell phone, and not talking directly to you. I know I would have been panicking for sure and probably Praying for safety as well. Good thing it was only something like this for sure.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi tina you know I often have wondered who he was talking
to to be so nasty like that, I sure would have hated being
that person. He was definitely very angry. I was so glad to
see it was just a jerk yelling at someone on a cellphone.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
14 Nov 09
I have never had that happen to me before but we seen something weird the other day. We were on the highway and I looked over at another car and this woman appeared to be talking to herself. She wasn't though. She had a very small cell phone she was talking into.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi stephcjh some of those phones are so tiny and then
you just see the person talking away and wonder, why
is this w oman talking to herself.?
@milfea (519)
• Philippines
18 Nov 09
Hey there Hatley. I have, and it was quite embarassing, but funny at the same time. The lady wasn't holding a cellphone and she was smiling at me and said, "How are you?" And so I said I was fine in response, but she turned around and and said she has to go. She was talking to someone over the cellphone through a headset. Wow. She turned back to me and just waved. And I waved back embarrassed. But the lady's smile was very comforting. :)
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
milfea hi I can see how it would be both funny and
embarrassing at the saem time.You thought she was
being friendly to you and all the time she was
talking to someone else completely. at least she did
smile.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
14 Nov 09
I remember when those earpieces first began appearing. I was in the grocery minding my own business and some lady started talking about going shopping and would I like to come with her? I looked over at her, didn't see the earpiece and said excuse me but I don't know you and I hope you find someone to go shopping with. She looked at me as if I was a piece of garbage and told me she wasn't talking to me so butt out.
How rude! Holding a private conversation in public is bad enough but to extend those bad manners to those around you is just as bad.
I'd be happy to have cell phones banned except for the medical profession. In-car phones could be activated only for 911 and towing companies.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi dragon54u oh that would be startling, and then to have
the person with the cell phone get on your case ,that
was just plain rude. I hate when told to butt out as I
sure did not intend to butt in in the first place.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
syankee525 yes it gets unfunny really quick when you again and again think someone is talking to you and trying to bawl you
out for something. then I get pissed off.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi suzzy3 yes it really did upset me, and scare me as I
really thought he was yelling at me, a nd the only thing
I cou ld think of was he was the cop from the restaurant.
but I was glad it was just an idiot on his cell phone.
@VANILLAREY (1470)
• India
17 Nov 09
Yes, it has happened on two occasions. However it was not such that it made me change my actions. It would become more common with more people talking on cell phones.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi vanillarey seems a lotof people have had similar
experiences and to think he was so angry and I had
slipped in front of the cop, so I had assumed wrongly
so that was a big relief for me.
@swaggalicious (111)
• United States
14 Nov 09
yep or worst on their blue... Oooo that really makes me mad. Im like do you have any manners....
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi swaggalicious yes that did really make me mad as he
glared at me, and muttered something. I was glad in a'
way I didn't understand what he was saying, I was just
glad I had not made that cop angry.
@GardenGerty (160721)
• United States
14 Nov 09
Oh, yes, it happens all of the time. It is annoying and rather disconcerting to think someone is talking to you when in reality they are talking to their phone. It is very annoying when it is a hands free set up, too.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi gardengerty it is certainly annoying and when there are a hands free its even worst,as they keep on talking as they are walking and yell right into one's ear.
talking as they are walking and yell right into one's ear.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
14 Nov 09
I have told this story before and I hope it wasn’t to you, forgive me if I am repeating myself! My sister in law is quite a character and I love her to pieces. She was shopping at the supermarket one day when this guy walked up behind her and said, “Hi” to which she replied, “Uhm...Hi...” The man walked right up to her and asked, “How about dinner tonight?” She replied, “No thank you I don’t even know you” but he insisted, “Of course, you’ll come, I’ll pick you up at six” This conversation went on for a while and my sister in law got quite rude with the guy who was looking at her with a quizzical look when she finally turned around to look at him…You guessed he had been talking on his phone the whole time! If you knew my sis in law you would understand that it is just the type of thing that would happen to her, she’s an expert at embarrassing herself!
1 person likes this
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
14 Nov 09
LOL, yes, I have! So funny! Or someone's child will be calling out, "Mommmm," and force of habit makes me look instinctively, even though my kiddos are full grown. I do the same if some child is calling for their nana!
Karen1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi peacefulwmn9 oh a child calling out mom would get me
too and my son is a grown man now. I do not understand why people think they to yell out to the person on the other end.
@rg0205 (2636)
• Hong Kong
14 Nov 09
Hehe, yes this has happened to me. Sometimes I'd think that someone was asking me a question, only to turn around and find the person on his/her phone. My boyfriend and I actually get that sometimes with eachother. He'd be on the phone asking a question and I'd answer. Then, he'd look at me and laugh and go "Phone. Not you."
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi rg0205 Yes I really thought he was yelling at me, but
of course when i turned around i saw him and his cell
phone then I was glad i was not the victim of his anger
at all. for a moment I thought it was the cop from
the restaurant.
er
at all. for a moment I thought it was the cop from
the restaurant. @baiyunhuihui (3)
• China
14 Nov 09
sure,i think many people have met this situation.sometimes it is embarrassed,sometimes it is interesting.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
baiyunhuihui hi It appears a lot of us have had the
'same thing happen and it can be funny or
it cou ld be embarrassing to one or both.
@munchiez117 (539)
• United States
14 Nov 09
it has not happened to me but it has happened to my friends before one of the people yelled a swear into his phone and my friend turned around and said
what did you call me
he almost got in a fight with the guy
it was pretty stupid of the person on the phone
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
18 Nov 09
hi munchiez yes its so darned dumb as they think they have
to talk loud so everyone knows they have a cell phone
and then make people think that they are talking to them
not on the phone.
