Hold out your Hand for their Cell Phone

So I'm doing something new now. So far, people just think I'm funny but it must just be the delivery. They must not know or pick up on the fact that I'm seriously annoyed.

It's probably happened to you. A patient steps up to the register to pick up a prescription. Their cell phone rings and they take the call. Somehow in our society of self-gratification, the rudeness of this has escaped common sense.

When it happens, and it happens more and more, I reach out my hand. People look startled, confused, bewildered. I shake my hand a little, gesturing that they should hand me their cell phone. To date, three people have handed me their cell phone.

I say the name of the patient and "will call you back." Then I hang up their phone and hand it back to them.

Bold, yes. But I do it like I'm delivering a joke. So far, there's been no bloodshed and only laughs. But I'm making my point, and if I have to do it one cell phone call at a time, I will.