Yakking In Public

Today I was having breakfast at one of my favorite morning hang-outs and I learned my multiplication tables, even though they were NOT on the menu OR agenda.
This loving couple were drilling their darling little 7 year-old about "SIX TIMES SEVEN, EIGHT TIMES FOUR, YOU MUST KNOW FIVE TIMES NINE!"
This went on for the duration of my meal and they were so loud, I couldn't hear the waitress asking if I wanted some cherry pie. I guess she gave up because I left without that delectible dessert.
At one point when the child couldn't come up with the correct answer to SIX TIMES SIX, I turned over my paper place-mat and with the provided crayon at the table, I wrote in big letters, 37 ~ then I made a paper airplane and flew it into their booth. I'm just evil enough to try to ruin his answer for life to 6 x 6...maybe later on in a big board room when he is running a meeting, he will chastise an employee who thought 6 x 6 was 36. These are scenarios in my mind that I LIVE for!

We've all been in a restaurant when we couldn't hear our own table conversations because of a self-annointed room entertainer at the next table.
NEWS ALERT...some international travelers will soon have the opportunity to enjoy airplane flights with people gabbing away on cell phones.
WHO decided THIS? Why don't you just poke me in the eyes and nose and annoy MOST ALL of my senses? Can people NOT be quiet for just a few hours? Do we have to be in constant contact or the world will stop spinning?
I can see it (or rather, HEAR it) now ~ sitting next to me on my 6 hour flight to Ireland is the teenager who just broke up with her boyfriend and is calling every friend she knows and three she just met, to cry LOUDLY about how he "done did her wrong". Behind me will be the TYPE A executive who is calling four of his subordinates to give them last minute instructions...in THREE languages. Naturally, everyone will have to talk loudly,not just over the jet engine noise, but over each other's conversations. Maybe even Guido O'Reilly, the bookie with the non-lit cigar dangling from his wagering lips, will be conducting business en route to some far-off gambling mecca of the world.

FLYING WILL BECOME A WORSE NIGHTMARE THAN IT ALREADY IS. I hope upon hope that this idea that Emeritus Airline is employing stays with that air carrier and leaves the rest of flyers to have to spend $10.00 a minute on those rip-off phones in the seat.

I wonder if traveling by train is an option? DO they allow cell phones to be used?

I'll call you all on my cell phone that I will use at the classiest restaurant I know when I find out.

Ms Grump