Thursday, June 30, 2016

Just because your phone rings, doesn't mean you have to answer it!

I've been taking the subway for about 17 1/2 years.  It's certainly changed a lot since I started...like...umm....well it was $1.00 a ride when I started.  Now, it's $2.75 for a one way trip on a regular metrocard.  And while I never bothered with tokens, they still were in circulation when I started taking the subway.  Other than that, not much has changed with the trains.  I have noticed that recently there is a lot of cell phone reception on the trains, especially at certain stops.  I've always enjoyed and appreciated the subway for not having reception b/c at least no one will be talking loudly on their phones for everyone to hear, like they do on the buses.  The quiet is nice.  I'll admit that it's nice to be able to text people while on the train, especially when the train gets stuck and I'm running late, or if I want to let someone know where I am and in how long I'll get to where I'm going.  That's also nice.  And there still isn't consistent reception enough to make a solid phone call.  So it's still quiet.  For now.  But my quiet ride definitely has an expiration date and I bet one day soon, there will be enough reception to make a complete phone call underground from the subway.  For now, though, I will enjoy my (mostly) quiet ride.
Except for those random people who get an incoming call and decide to answer.  And then they spend most of their call yelling something like "I'm on the subway...I'm going to lose you...I'll call y-  $#!t!"  Did you not see that coming?!  You're on the subway!  Underground!  You have about 5 seconds to say anything on the phone!  Sometimes, you don't even have time to say "Hello"!  So why are you picking up your phone?!?!  Just let it go and call them back when you get off the train!  If it's that important, they'll try again and leave you a message.  Or they'll text you, b/c who today doesn't text?  And you can text them back that you're on the train and you'll call them back when you get out.  And your text will probably go thru in a few feet b/c there seems to be service almost every few feet, albeit not enough to make your phone call.  But just b/c your phone rings does not mean you have to answer it!