I am traveling this week with plenty of time to pay attention to strangers, not that I have much of a choice. In the airport, men have cell phones pressed to their ears relaying critical information to their business partners such as "HI! I JUST LEFT YOU AN EMAIL AND A VOICE MAIL ABOUT THE DEAL THAT I HOPE TO DO IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS. I HOPE YOU GOT MY MESSAGE, I WILL CALL AGAIN BEFORE THE PLANE LEAVES AND AGAIN WHEN IT LANDS TO BE SURE YOU GOT MY MESSAGE."

And today in an elegant, quiet restaurant where everyone is conversing in hushed tones and his table mate is fussing with the newspaper, clearly uncomfortable. "MY PLANE WAS CANCELLED AND SO I AM SITTING HERE WONDERING WHERE I CAN WATCH THE SUPER BOWL. WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO EAT? THAT OAXCAN GUACAMOLE WAS REALLY GOOD LAST YEAR I THINK YOU SHOULD SERVE IT AGAIN. AND IF YOU DO, WOULD YOU SAVE SOME FOR ME? LIKE I SAID I AM STUCK IN WASHINGTON AND AM WONDERING WHERE I CAN WATCH THE SUPER BOWL."

I could go on. But wont. I will just say that the only woman I saw use her cell phone in a public place this entire trip, whispered so quietly and quickly that I, sitting right next to her, heard nothing.

So here is a question for you:

Are men more ill-mannered than women when it comes to cell phone use?

And if so, why?

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