Is this the epitome of chutzpa?

amother

Fri, Jan 06 2012, 3:46 pm

I am standing in a store speaking on my cell phone, a very important phone call,
when a woman comes up to me and announces that she would like to use my phone as soon as I hang up.
I can gladly lend my phone and don't mind at all if someone wishes to use it, but while I am speaking on it to have the nerve to tell me that she wants to use my phone when I am done!
I would like to hear the opinions of all of you out there.

I pretended not to hear what she said, and walked out together with my conversation, I was not done with my call for the next 20 minutes. She probably approached the next person she saw with a phone.

Do I owe my phone to anyone?

Is this gall? What is this? Would any of you do this? I am not referring to an emergency situation CHV.

Could not believe the audacity that some people have.

MamaBear

Fri, Jan 06 2012, 4:09 pm

I'd just brush it off. Honestly, I know a handful of people in my community who are adults with very clear social disorders. A couple have Asperger's. They act very off and you just can't take it personally.

amother

Sat, Jan 07 2012, 12:58 pm

you should never ever let any stranger from the street use your phone. you never know what sort of thing they could be using it for , what information they are putting/writing/speaking about on it, and how it can be tracked. you did the right thing to walk away from this woman. I have also had times where someone a stranger on the street has walked up to me and said - not like how she said it to you - but more like "please could I use your phone to make a call?" and I made up a reason why she could not. I would happily lend her the money to use a pay phone. I would never take a chance like that. if it is a real emergency for a fact it is different.

amother

Sat, Jan 07 2012, 1:32 pm

amother wrote:

When I was a teen I was walking with a friend of mine in the night, a man came up to her and asked to use her cellphone. She let him. He called his girlfriend who, as I figured, was a harlot, and he was yelling at her "Where are you? Are you with a client? I am gonna come to your place now and kill you AND your client!". We were really scared and did not really expect to get the cell phone back at all (which we did Very Happy

)

Raisin

Sat, Jan 07 2012, 1:37 pm

no, the epitome of chutzpa is killing your parents and then asking the judge for leniency because you are an orphan.

some people have unlimited plans where every call is free. I don't have that.

the way she asked you is weird, but asking a stranger to use a phone in an emergency or semi emergency is not weird. But why ask someone on a call?

Isramom8

Sat, Jan 07 2012, 3:00 pm

You don't have to do what everyone in the street tells you to do. A woman collecting tzedaka once screamed at me in the street that I'd better come and listen to her, because I'm religious. I just ignored her.

amother

Sun, Jan 08 2012, 8:26 am

Someone once asked my sister to borrow her cell phone. When she was done with her lengthly conversation, she returned the phone and says "btw you had a beep!" Helloooooo????? (Twas kids in camp season)

imasinger

Sun, Jan 08 2012, 8:35 am

Raisin wrote:

This.

amother

Mon, Jan 09 2012, 12:17 am

OP here.
The woman was chasidish, she was with someone, maybe a daughter or friend, and I would have gladly loaned her my phone as I do many times HAD IT JUST BEEN FREE IN MY HANDS.
She didn't approach me and say it was an emergency, of course I would have tried to help in any way if it was a true emergency.
I understand that nowadays there are no payphones out there, and if you need to use a phone, it is okay to ask and borrow a phone. I usually lend my phone if someone asks me.
This has never happened before. The lady looked perfectly normal to me, in every way.

My motto usually is, if it is something I would not do to someone else, I won't allow it to be done to me.
I think interrupting me and assuming that her call was more important than mine, when it's MY phone, is what was rude. Thanks for your responses. I have calmed down by now.

amother

Mon, Jan 09 2012, 12:31 am

Being the women was Chassidish, it is not her fault if she was not taught etiquette. I try to make allowances because behavior that I don't find acceptable is perfectly acceptable in that community.

Glad you have calmed down. I know being demanded to do something instead of being asked can be exhusting.

Israelis can also be pushy. It is just a matter of being socialized differently.

EmesOrNT

Mon, Jan 09 2012, 1:38 am

amother wrote:

Um, chasidish women are not taught etiquette?

tweek

Mon, Jan 09 2012, 8:49 am

amother wrote:

Being the women was Chassidish, it is not her fault if she was not taught etiquette. I try to make allowances because behavior that I don't find acceptable is perfectly acceptable in that community.

WOW!!!

amother

Mon, Jan 09 2012, 9:33 am

As the OP, I find it quite offensive to use this post as a bashing of all chasidish women.
I am chasidish too, which is why she approached me.

As WC Fields said, "I am not prejudiced, I hate everyone equally."

Why is this always directed at chasidish women? I ask you all to take this loshon hara off.

I hope that I have manners most of the time, and wondered if this was something new, or if I had a right to be upset. I thank you all for your helpful replies, the ones that didn't include negative comments about my segment of the population.