Once again I am interrupted when I hear Mozart's "Symphony" coming from a customer's cell phone. I watch her frantically sift through her make-up bag, keys, coupons and wallet in search of her sacred social tool. She wears a look of relief as she answers, "Hello?" Annoyance floods me, but I continue picking up the pile of clothes her young "Dennis the Menace" child has just knocked over while playing hide-and-seek with his siblings in the once-organized racks of clothes. In the meantime, the Old Navy shopper on her cell phone seemingly chooses to ignore the fact that her children have just created another hour of work for me. She continues with her conversation while browsing, eying each item and trying to carry on her critical conversation.

"Yeah, I'll be home in about an hour ... No, I don't feel like cooking. Maybe I'll pick up some pizza on the way. Oh no, I've lost the kids again. I've gotta go. See you soon."

The high-pitched sound of the off button on her phone pierces my ears, yet I am relieved that she may finally focus on her children, who are aimlessly wandering the aisles. Why the call about dinner was so important, I do not know, but I believe that watching her children should have ranked higher on her mom to-do list.

Cell phones - who in the year 2003 doesn't own one? Whether used for safety reasons or social purposes, it seems that I can go nowhere these days without being bothered by some conversationalist who just simply cannot wait until later to talk. It is almost as if every call is vital, and every single push of a button while dialing is compulsive. Have humans always been so needy and impersonal?

Don't get me wrong, I recognize that cell phones can be helpful. When someone's car breaks down, cell phones bring speedy help. Teens with paranoid, yet loving, parents can go out on the weekend with a way to check in and satisfy their parents' wish of knowing where they are. Cell phones keep people safe, while enable the communication lines to remain open 24 hours a day. However, when safety and frivolity clash, we run into problems.

The conversation of the shopper was unnecessary and highly unimportant. My question is, where do we draw the line between necessary talk and blatant rudeness? How many times have you been in a movie theater, restaurant, or mall when a cell phone started ringing? It is likely that the call could have waited. I think life should be simple, not complicated with thousands of conversations happening at once with the constant use of cell phones. These phones are just infuriating sometimes, when people are oblivious to what's happening around them. All I am asking is for cell phone users to be safe, have some respect for others overhearing their chats, and to realize that sometimes it's better to keep conversations private.