Please Take Your Phone Calls…Elsewhere

One of the biggest issues with working in a cube farm is the noise level.  Everyone has business to do, and many times it requires noise.  Sometimes you have to collaborate with someone else, or use the phone, or whatever.  Occasionally we even have to have a by-God conversation that’s about [insert current sports season here].

I get that, and I’m guilty of it all.  However, the one thing I am not guilty of is personal phone calls in my cube.  I don’t make them from here, and the most I will do is answer them while sitting at my desk.  There is always an empty office or conference room nearby.  Why do you feel the need to discuss the boil on your spouse’s ass with your best friend where we can all hear about it?  Not only do I not care, but the fact that you are being extremely loud makes it unbearable.  And then when I laugh or comment about it, you get all huffy like I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping.  Get over yourself already.

One guy last year had to change his health insurance.  He was a private contractor, and he was changing employment, and had to get something changed.  OK, I get that.  But I don’t want to listen to it, especially for an hour or so.  Yep, this guy went on and on for nearly an hour getting his new insurance set up.  He was discussing all the pre-existing ailments his children had, the boil on his wife’s ass (or something similar), and his erectile dysfunction – all where everyone could hear him.  And he wasn’t being quiet about it, either.  It was more like, “Listen to all the ailments we have to deal with!  I’m getting new insurance!  I’m changing employment!”

When someone actually started laughing (loudly) and made a comment, the guy on the phone became infuriated and started yelling at the other dude about minding his own business.  Then at least 10 of us had to get involved because we could all hear every word the guy on the phone said.  In fact I repeated to him (verbatim) the ailments he listed on the phone to the insurance person.

You could have knocked him over with a feather.  He truly couldn’t believe that we could all hear every word he said.  For someone who considered himself really smart (just ask him!) he really wasn’t very.

So, word to the wise.  If you don’t want everyone around you knowing what you’re up to, and don’t want them commenting on your so-called “private” conversations, take your phone calls elsewhere.  There’s usually a phone in the conference room, and your cell phone will work just about anywhere.  Get off your ass and keep your conversations to yourself.  Not only do you not want to share them, I’m trying to get some work done!