That is, people too absorbed in their head-set cell phone conversations to pay attention to their actual surroundings.
I’m currently working in fast food. There literally isn’t a minute that I couldn’t be getting some important task done. And I must be polite and cheerful no matter what. So imagine my frustration when someone gets up to the counter (often with a dozen people waiting behind them) where they presumably wanted to be to order some food, and it’s like trying to talk to a hyperactive ADD child:
Me: “Hello, Welcome to LeeAnn Chin! What would you like today?”
Borg Drone: “Hello? Shawna? You there? Listen, are you going to pick me up after work?”
Me: “Would you like to order now?”
Borg Drone: “Huh? Oh, hang on Shawna. Uh, yeh, I’d like, uh, the combo.”
Me: “You can get any entree and appitizer with your choice of rice. Which would you like?”
Borg Drone: <five seconds silence. No indication the Collective has noticed the Away team. Then> “Uh huh. Well can you meet me downtown?” <Borg drone actually looks at me now> “Uh, I want the, uh, Peking Chicken, and uh, rice.” <resumes staring into space.> “Hey, I’m supposed to be over at Trish’s house by six o clock.”
Me: “Which kind of rice would you like?” <The drone glanced for one-tenth of a second at the fried rice, so it probably wants that, but I have to make sure>
Borg Drone: “-” <sub-articulate sound that might be an affirmative while waving hand in general direction of fried rice. Apparently it’s still receiving directions over the neurolink.>
Me: <indicating the fried rice by grasping the handle of the serving spoon in the fried rice tray> “The fried rice?”
Borg Drone: <nods head while still lookin the other way> “Yeh, I told Trish I was gonna babysit. I gotta be there by six.”
Me: <I hope the nod of the head was actually in response to me. I serve a standard portion of fried rice and Peking chicken. Then> “The Combo comes with an appitizer. What would you like?” <when no response comes I add> “You can get cream cheese puffs, oyster wings, potstickers or an egg roll”.
Borg Drone: “Uh, yeh, Uh-huh. OK, so you gonna meet me at quarter to? Cheese puffs. I said, you gonna meet me at quarter to?” (Apparently it’s getting a little better at time slicing with practice.)
Me: <I add the Cream Cheese Puffs to it’s plate> “Is this to dine in or to go?” <I reach for a plate cover anyway to utilize the time I’m waiting for a response>.
Borg Drone: <eyes momentarily come into focus on me with puzzled expression. Apparently some remnant of it’s pre-assimilation identity has briefly re-emerged.> “Huh?”
Me: “Is this to eat here or to take out?”
Borg Drone: “To go. Hey, I’ll be in the bus shelter, OK? Yeh, the bus shelter.”
Me: <I finish putting the cover on the order to go. I hand it to the drone. It’s hand closes on it reflexively when it feels the plate touching it’s fingers.> “Chris down on the far register will ring up your order for you. Thank you.” <Then, as I’m taking a breath to greet the next customer in line>
Borg Clone: “OK Shawna, see ya. See ya Shawna. Uh huh. Ok, g’bye Shawna. Hey, can I get some oyster wings?”
I dread the day they invent heads-up video overlay glasses.
