Don't Be A Phoney

It amazes me how so many people can keep their cell phone on an incredibly high volume and not keep it on their person in the workplace. At first, I thought there were only certain ringtones that really annoyed me and my fellow coworkers.


An annoying chime, perhaps one that sounds like an old school telephone (how retro and cool!). Maybe it’s a cheesy dance song or top 40 pop tune that someone might tap their feet to when you get a call. Or better still, how about a classical piece to make others think this you are actually cultured.

It turns out though, pretty-much any cell phone ring is annoying by design. Its sole purpose is to notify its owner, someone is trying to reach them. It has to distract to be effective. The problem is, it distracts everyone else in the office. It’s not so much a problem when after 1 or 2 rings the owner can answer the phone. What’s annoying and down-right rude is when this jack-off leaves his or her phone by their desk, and they are nowhere to be found when someone/anyone comes calling.

The phone rings incessantly and far be it of you to actually go over and turn the phone off. That would be an invasion of jack-off’s privacy and personal space, wouldn’t it? Well, what about your privacy? Why should you have to suffer endless playings of a “Before He Cheats” ringtone by some jaded female coworker, or Fur Elise by some pseudo-intellectual’s phone across the way who probably couldn’t name another classical piece save those he’s heard on Bugs Bunny cartoons?

The point is, it’s a simple gesture to either keep your phone on you at all times, turn on the vibration mode, or simply leave it off while you’re at work. You coworkers probably will never confront you about this annoying habit, but rest assured, at first they begin grinding their teeth when your cell phones rings off the hook (so-to-speak). Ultimately, that annoyance will transfer directly to you.

Gotta go. My phone’s ringing.