4/29/2013

Shouldn't Have Put a Ring on It

Story Sent in by Emilia:

Joe took me out to a quiet cafe for an early dinner. Part of the way through the meal, his cell phone rang with a techno tune. He didn't answer it, but he also didn't silence it. He just ignored it, and it stopped ringing. A few moments later, it rang again, and finally stopped. But then it happened again and again.

I asked him, "Maybe that's someone important?"

He said, "I'm on a date. Whoever it is can wait."

I suggested, "Then maybe you should silence it?"

He said, "I shouldn't. Just in case it's someone important."

"But how will you know that unless you check it?"

He sighed like he was doing me the biggest favor and checked his phone. He said, "It's no one important. I was right, you were wrong."

"Then why don't you silence it?"

"I told you, in case someone important calls."

"But if you don't check it while it's ringing, how will you know that it's someone important calling?"

He slammed his phone on the table and said, "There. Now we'll both see who's calling. Happy?"

He launched himself into his meal, shoveling it into his mouth at an alarming rate, I guess in an effort to "teach me a lesson." I had lost my appetite, and shortly thereafter, his phone rang again. He glanced at it and didn't answer. It stopped, then rang again.

I took out enough cash to cover my share, slammed it on the table, said, "Goodnight," and left.

Ten minutes later, I was in my car, heading home, when he texted me a couple of times, telling me to come back. I didn't plan to respond, but then, he called.

I picked up and said, "I'm sorry, I have to keep this line open. You know, in case someone important calls," then hung up.

6 comments:

  1. He arranged to have a friend call him all night, in order to make himself appear more socially and sexually desireable to you. How'd that work out, buddy?

    Chunky Horse would have mule-kicked him upside da head, and threw that phone right into the lobster tank...

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  2. Does Joe not know about the vibrate function that most cell phones have? That seems like a simpler solution that looking like a weirdo who refuses to turn off but not answer the damn thing. Methinks it was his wife or side piece calling but then I'm a cynical bitch.

    And there's no way Chunky Horse would have kicked Joe in the head. Everyone knows that cell phones are rendered inoperable when Chunky Horse is in the vicinity. The electromagnetic fields Chunky Horse emits renders all machinery useless. Except chainsaws. Those still work.

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  3. Not only did the ringtone fail to hypontieze her, but it transmits passive-agressiveness to all that hear it.

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  4. I was really hoping by the title that it was this guy's fiancee calling all night long, and in the end he got caught and dumped by his now-no-longer-future-bride.

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  5. I agree that a constantly ringing phone is annoying, but so is demanding he put the phone on silent. He acted juvenile, she acted juvenile, and thus we are on this blog. Best thing to do in a situation like that-chalk it up to rude behavior and don't go out with the person again. No point in making a dramatic scene with someone you won't see again.

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  6. Got to disagree with you KatieGirl. A ringing phone, especially at the dinner table, especially when it's techno music, especially if it's in a public place, is one of the most annoying things in this world. It's the modern version of Chinese water torture. You can't relax because you are constantly anticipating the next ring....and it WILL ring. Also, people around you don't want to hear that shit.

    OP's date was a complete tool and I hope that last FU line was real.

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