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None of us would ever pack a loaded cell phone to church. The nerve. But reading about the uncivilized folks who do so, brought to mind an incident completely devoid of religious experience that needs to be preserved for posterity…or something.
A few years ago I sang with a choir called Exultate. During a recorded performance and after the opening announcement to silence such devices a cell phone went off and rang through an entire piece.
When the song ended (the ringing had ceased) the director turned and sternly asked the audience to silence their phones, again. People shuffled about, checking their phones, harrumphing just enough to ensure those in relatively close proximity knew it wasn't them, and the settled back to hear the delightful music.
Just as the director raised his hands for the second number the same ringing began anew. There was an audible gasp!
The director dropped his arms and turned around angrily and began searching for the offender. The acoustics of the room made this more difficult than usual, as the sound seemed to bounce from here to there.
Finally, the source was located. The phone was under my husband's chair. Emanating from my purse.
Since my husband had never met the director, the link from the offending phone to me was not made. With the director's back to me, facing down my husband, I pleaded with Sam (over the director's shoulder) not to reveal the connection.
Sam kept his piece and took the fall although it was apparent the purse was not his. The entire audience knew it was mine. The director didn't.
I was saved. I felt like a schoolgirl caught cheating on a test when her best friend stepped in to provide a plausible alibi.
After the concert, the choir went to eat dinner at Brick Oven. We ate and chatted happily, until the director walked in. I froze. He came down the aisle until he reached us. Stopped. Looked from my husband to me and back again. Scowled and walked away.
Moral: Don't be seen in public with you husband when he's in trouble for serious breaches of etiquette.
Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.
This happened to me at one of those big BYU concerts in the de Jong. I had my phone off, called to check on hubby and new baby during intermission, forgot to turn it off. During Singers, during one of the quiet parts of the song, off it went. Loudly. Horrible experience.
Two weeks ago I was visiting my in-laws ward for their Christmas Sacrament Meeting program and for the first time that I can remember I heard a cell phone ring during the meeting. I was a little shocked but I was flabbergasted when the lady sitting right behind me answered and started talking! Right in the middle of Sacrament Meeting! In the chapel! A conversation! A “How are you doing? Glad you called conversation”!!!!
A bit of a thread jack but it has been really bugging me so I am glad to get it off my chest. 🙂
OK, I was going to bed but got roped by an urgent work project e-mail, so I’m still up and needing to unwind.
MikeinWeHo posted the following cell-phone related YouTube link on Times & Seasons. It is hilarious.
Ray
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hut3VRL5XRE
Classroom cell phone use link
Forgot to link it. I really am tired.
I just watched that a few minutes ago, Ray. Wah! Too funny!
Ray, thanks for sharing that! I think I’m going to show that on the first day of class this semester! It might be more effective than going on at length about the evils of cell phones in a classroom.:wink:
Oh Alison! Sin of sins! A scripture comes to mind– I’m not sure if I remember it word for word but it’s something like:
Isaiah 3:16–17
16 Moreover the LORD saith, because the daughters of Zion are forgetful, and work with over-stretched schedules and tired eyes, running like a chicken with it’s head cut off, mincing as they go, and making a tinkling in their purse: (that sounds worse that I thought it would 🙂
17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will destroy their cell phones.
…. or something like that.
Oh, that’s pretty funny! I only had to have my cell go off once during sacrament meeting, to learn that NEVER again will I enter the chapel with my phone. Alison, your husband is way nicer than mine!!
I’m going to show that clip to my son, whose phone has gone off in class several times. His teachers have been very patient–more patient than they should have been.
Oh, and Alison, I was going to say you should be flogged, until I remembered how many times I have forgotten my phone was in the chapel and how blessed I have felt that it didn’t ring.
Oh, my other phone story was recently at Stake Conference. I had forgotten my phone was in my scripture case. And the alarm is set to go off every day at 11:55 (I have a kindergartner). Fortunately, the meeting had not yet started, but I was on the third row and Elder (almost President) Eyring was already on the stand. Embarrassing, to say the least.
Ha! Hilarious, Alison! That man must really love you.