Airport babies

You might think I'm going to rant about babies in airports - and sometimes they can be annoying. But even MORE annoying is the adult "airport baby." You know the ones - they bug the flight attendant as soon as they're seated to find out when drinks will be served, or as soon as the plane lands, they're calling someone on their cell phone to complain about a 15 minute delay.

This past weekend, I had a guy hold up the line to get off of a plane - after we had been circling for about an extra half hour - to complain to the flight attendant about some TSA employee that asked him to move his coat out of the overhead bin so that more luggage could be stowed. When I asked him "could we get off the plane, please?" He turned to his wife and said "everyone here is rude." What a jerk! He probably never thought about half the plane behind me and who might be trying to make a connecting flight. Nope, he just wanted to complain about being asked to move his coat, which happened 5 hours ago. People, get your priorities straight!

The one thing that struck me about traveling this past Easter was the use of cell phones in the airport and on airplanes. Cell phones are the new cigarettes. They're in our hands and at our mouths. People are addicted to using their phones. I think it's sad that some people can't seem to relax at all - ever - because they're cell phone is right there, somehow demanding their attention. I actually saw a guy using his wireless cell phone earpiece as he walked the ramp to get into the plane. He then ended his call and sat down - with the earpiece still on! He left it there for his flight. Was he making business calls? I don't think so. The smidgeon of conversation I got was that he was on the plane and would call when he landed. Was this conversation really necessary? Couldn't this call have gone to voicemail? If it was someone from the office, don't they already know he's at the airport?

Why do cell phones even have voicemail features? Nobody is content to let a call go to voicemail. I have seen people in the middle of trying to pay a cashier, conducting business at a bank, even in the middle of a conversation with a doctor's office assistant, still answer their cell phone calls. Doctor offices are so busy as it is - would you jeopardize any time you could get to ask your questions or fix a problem with the office assistant? I wouldn't! Especially if I waited about 20 minutes in line, or worse, 20 minutes on hold. I have noticed more and more people "double tasking" with their phones - they are waiting on hold on one phone, they get another call and tell the person they will call themback in 5 minutes. Why not let them get voicemail and you can still call them back in 5 minutes? Are we such babies that our friends, clients, or co-workers must have their calls picked up immediately?

I think it's rude and it's sad.

*

We are on a plane
but your Bluetooth earpiece is
on ear, but turned off.

Once we land, it's on.
You're not that important, you
technology slave.

*

Chained to my phone, I
can’t break free, wherever I
go, words follow me.

Constant, relentless
are voicemail, email and text.
Privacy is dead.

*

That last haiku is from my book "Provocative Haiku." Won't you visit my author's page on Lulu.com? Or simply leave your feedback here. Thank you!