When I heard the words "lip smackin' soul sauce for the barbecue", I thought wow, this is a man who definitely has a way with words, and for a moment I wondered what made his sauce so special. I also wondered "What time is dinner?" However, it was not for me to know because his words were not directed to me; they were part of a phone conversation I overheard in a restaurant.  

He was sitting at a table behind me, and for a good ten minutes he carried on not just one, but three separate phone conversations. I am not opposed to someone sitting alone making use of their time by catching up on telephone calls, but I do take issue with it when I am forced to listen to every single word because the person has not learned to turn down the volume!

Some people have voices that carry, especially when they are speaking on the telephone. My husband is one of them. He can and does speak at normal levels of sound during face to face conversation, but put a phone in his hand and it's a whole different story... If you are one of these people, know this about yourself, accept it, and learn to lower your voice. Better yet, step away to make/take your call. The key is to avoid holding other people hostage to your conversation.

It was interesting to note that in contrast to the man on the telephone, there was another couple seated the equal distance away from me. I could not hear one word of their conversation.

Be aware of how your voice sounds, not only in terms of pitch but also volume. Do you really want people listening in on your conversations anyway?