But note in my story above that it didn’t. If my emotional reaction corresponded only with the clicking, it would have stayed at the same volume from click one to click 8,620. My rising irritation had less to do with the unwelcome noises and more to do with the smoldering disgust I was nursing while listening to a sermon on patience or charity or some other related topic. The Longer You Wait, the Worse it Will Get Here are some of my reflections for your benefit. And I learned a lot about myself in that meeting. The meeting was just getting rolling so I anticipated another forty-five minutes of sermon from the front and percussion from behind. His every keystroke was confirmed by an electronic click set at maximum volume. He was transferring information about a few hundred of his closest friends into the device. A guy behind me had a new electronic device on one leg and what appeared to be a contact list on the other. By the time I turned to get a sly look at the source, my irritation had festered into disgust. Years back in a church meeting I heard a distinct clicking sound behind me. I would sincerely appreciate your advice. I think my reminders don’t produce the desired result precisely because people feel offended. I would love to address the chattering in a way that doesn’t offend.
I have tried writing notes or attempting a polite reminder, but these usually don’t work and only create tension-offenders may talk less but the chatting continues, and I am left fuming and racking my brain for a solution. Occasionally I have the option to move to another seat, but not always. I often find myself in audience settings-such as a theater, concert, class or worship service-with chatty neighbors whose whispered (or loud) conversations disturb the peace of everyone around them.