1. Jacksonville, Florida is full of people who are constantly on the move. But lately I have
noticed many who are completely immobile due to their cell phones. Their favorite places
to stand still are in their cars while at stop lights, they camp smack-dab in the middle of
the isles in the malls. Regardless of where these people choose to stop, they are all
engaged in the same activity: texting on their cellphones. And while they type away, like
frozen mummies newly bestowed with the gift of speech, the rest of the world is obliged
to perform something akin to interpretive dance to make our way around them.
My family and I had a close encounter with this new brand of boor this summer. Before
even reaching the food court, I spotted her and her girl friends from a distance. As if
frozen right smack dab in the middle of the isle. As I slowly pushed my sons stroller
towards them I felt my blood pressure inching up, my wife told me to calmly ask to go
around.
“Excuse me, please,” I said, dredging up a courteousness I really didn’t feel. No reaction.
Once more into the breach: “Excuse me, I need to get by and I do not want to bump you
by accident with my sons stroller.” I repeated, adding more force to my tone. The gagle
of friends turned to me, glowering at me. Mere seconds separated that indignant stare
from my fate: Would I be tongue-lashed with a barrage of profanities? Hurled down the
subway stairs I needed to descend? Or worse, would I be dispatched by the cellphone
itself, swiftly transformed into a Bond-like instrument of death?
The Gagle of teens started to laugh and then which seemed to be the oldest boy of the
group,smirked and asked me "Did you say you were going to hit mewith that stroller." I
told him with the Calmest voice that I could stir up "NO I SIMPLY ASKED TO GET
AROUND SO I DO NOT BUMP YOU WITH THE STROLLER." He moved slightly,
just enough for me to make my way down; as the distance grew between us, I heard them
mumble something along the lines of "what has that old man all pissed off."
I enjoy the cell phone and the advancements that has come out. I carry one for personel
use as well as one for my job. But it has also changed our behavior, and not necessarily, I
am discovering, for the better. Whether it’s calling and texting while driving, or blocking
the path of other pedestrians while conversing.
Maybe, I have a different point of view since I have been trained by the Navy for nearly 8
years now. Some people just have different up brinings which the largest effect on this.
Yet its effects, however slight, can be felt.
We can call and text all we like; the least we can do is respectfully step aside while doing
it.

2. Honestly, I do not feel that I truley used the ideas from the readings. Honestly, most of
my writings come from life experiences.