Are you one of "those" people? You know who they are. They are the ones who come to dinner at a restaurant and instead of conversing, they text their way through the meal. I was at lunch with my friend about six months ago and we saw this really great looking family come in and take a seat at a table next to us. It was hard not to notice them. It was the middle of the afternoon in the middle of the week and they were the only family in the place. One thing, however, became clear. They weren't there to visit with each other; at least not verbally. Stephanie and I found the scene so interesting we could hardly focus on our meals let alone our own verbal conversation. We were fascinated. All we could do was watch. We were practically eaves dropping, but without hearing a word of the conversation. We felt bad about our conduct, but really, we couldn't stop looking at them no matter how hard we tried not to. You have to imagine it. They would be sitting there in complete silence and they would all be focused on their phones. Then without warning, they would all start laughing at the same time. It never ended. Just when we thought they'd be finished they would chuckle and snort all over again. It was truly crazy. Towards the end, we became disgusted. So much so, that we vowed right then and there to NEVER be "those" kind of people.
As of last month, I am now officially one of "those" people. Sorry friends, but now that I know what it's all about, I can't promise I'll reverse my broken vow. I will try much harder to keep my phone in my purse during lunch and to only check Facebook and Twitter in between drink refills and bathroom breaks. That's about all you're going to get from me right now. I may commit to more at a later date. Just don't rush me on this. Richard has found that the best way to get me off the Facebook and Twitter thing during outings together is to send me a text that requires a response. It works great. I suggest this as an alternative to being angry with me. One text, works best. Promise!
