Cell-phone gabbers ruin the ride

Many years ago, when I worked in the Loop, I was a daily commuter on the train. In those days, you could settle back, relax and read the morning and evening newspapers. Yes, we had the Trib in the morning and the Daily News in the evening. There were no raised voices, just a background murmur.

A couple of days ago I took the train from Arlington Heights to Chicago. A few rows behind me, there was some cretin on his cell phone apparently speaking to his girlfriend in a stertorous voice laced with gender specific obscenities.

I have read about these cretins in trains and buses. I shudder to think what it must be like, every day, to be bombarded with cell conversations. I believe it is high time Metra provide cell phone-free cars like the old days when there were no-smoking cars.

Joseph F. Keonen

Arlington Heights