Something to hate about cell phones

Among other things, cell phones are making tardiness acceptable. Let me explain.

The other night, the usual suspects decided to meet at Rockaberry's between 7:30 and 8:00pm. I arrived first, at twenty to eight. Within minutes of sitting down, I discovered that not only had I forgotten my cell phone at home, but that I was book-less as well. Buh!

Knowing that my friends would be along shortly, I ordered a green tea and took advantage of the moment to entertain pleasant thoughts. Fifty minutes later, I was feeling less patient.

I wasn't angry with my friends for being late. If I had my cell phone, it would have been easier to bear the wait because I would have received the calls apologizing for their tardiness.

It seems to me that now that cell phone use is so widespread, most people are less attentive to the time. "If I'm late, I can just call." It is very considerate to call, true, but if I was ever late before cell phones, I just made a bigger effort to rush. Now that I can call and apologize, I tend to move a little slower while preparing to leave.

I'm usually fairly punctual, but it seems to me that there was more punctuality - and less cancellations - before we had our electronic *out*.

Is it just me?