I was in the middle of
a description of symptoms
when my doctor's cell phone rang.
I suppressed a groan, and waited,
hoping I would still remember
what I had come here for
when he finally got off the phone,
and got to me again.


Yes,
I know a doctor is one of the persons
who is always allowed to answer his/her phone
without anyone considering it rude.



However,
isn't it highly disrespectful
of a patient's emotional sensibilities,
and time too, when doctors who are not on call,
and
who have specifically set that time
aside for an appointment, take calls?

How often have you seen people
in a restaurant
where one person is on the phone,
and the other is fiddling with the salt cellar,
trying awkwardly to find something
to do till the call is over!



When two or more people
have made a commitment to spend
a specific amount of time together,
it is extremely rude,
and insensitive
when one of them decides
that answering a voice on the end of a telephone
is more important than the person/people with them.

If at a meeting,
and you are expecting a call
you absolutely have to take, give advance notice,
keep your phone on silent,
and discretely step out to take the call.
At social events,
how hard is it really to keep the ringer on vibrate,
not to take any call that is non-essential,
and keep the necessary calls brief,
with a promise to call back?


Coming back to my doctor,
the inspiration for this week's rant,
I was in for a pleasant surprise
- he quickly finished his call, apologised with
a slightly shamefaced smile,
and put his phone on silent.

He then suggested that if
I wanted to talk to him,
I send him a sms and that he would reply/call
when between patients.
I wish there were more like him!