It's Not Jewelry

Since I've been out and about during the middle of the day, I've noticed many people wearing their Bluetooth ear thingys. Here in California it's illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving a car - not that the laws stops someone who's determined - but the people I'm talking about aren't driving. They're on foot like me, but they have this plastic doohickey hanging out of their ears like they're Uhura on Star Trek.
   Two weeks ago I saw a couple in a restaurant, both of them with their ear thingys on, both of them talking over the table as if they weren't ready to be interrupted at a moment's notice by an urgent call. At the gas station I saw a mother and father with their five kids, Mom and Dad with matching and color-coordinated ear thingys, the oldest daughter with her own ear thingy. I saw a old man in the grocery store with his ear thingy, and a tattoo-covered young woman in the post office wearing her ear thingy.
   Maybe I'm just seeing them everywhere because I'm looking for them now, but, Good Lord, no phone call is that important. Cell phones all come with voice mail, people can just leave a message.
   Interesting note: as I was walking to the post office today I saw a guy coming the other way with his Bluetooth ear thingy. I called my home phone to leave a message to remind myself to post about the ear thingys when the same guy came up behind me, waiting to cross the street when I did. I didn't want him to hear me talking about him, so I hung up. I'm such a pansy.