When in company ... - Mohammded Yousuf

After a series of sumptuous feasts over the festival weekend, when you are in the generous and happy mood of asking little boys if they'd "like to be President" when they grow up, the last thing you'd expect is the feature editor hauling you up by the collar and threatening you with dire consequences if you do not file the copy in time.

Well, I am going to use the mobile phone to get out of writing the usual thoughtful and thought-provoking piece that you have come to expect in this space.

A recent survey on modern mobile manners by easymobile.com showed us up for what we are, and don't you even bother denying it - if you don't commit one sin, you get caught with another, for sure.

Two out of three respondents said they ignored calls from people when they could see who was calling - the blessing of caller ID - and more than three-fourths of them lied about the ignored calls later - the curse of caller ID, because it is not so easy to lie.

And we do not practise what we preach: three in four take calls when enjoying a meal with company, and more than half think it is very bad manners.

That's bad. Really bad. What makes it worse is that plans are afoot to spoil our best friends: The next time you are having dinner and call your dog, "hey, chip!", he's going to ignore you by being busy with the iBone (http:// www.hautediggitydog.com/ storefront/Toys/ Hollywood/iBone/).

N. NAGARAJ

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