I present a social hypothetical to you

[blackmage_nuke]

You are alone at some kind of dining establishment but are not currently opposed to a social encounter. Suddenly by coincidence a friend you haven't seen in a while walks in and notices you. They are also alone and the two of you decide to make conversation. Then 1 minute in as the ball is about to start rolling you receive a call! It is from a friend you haven't spoken to in a while! They've called to catch up! The two friends do not know each other and now you must decide which conversation to cut short! Do you continue with the phone friend who made an active effort to reach out or the other friend who you ran into by accident but is standing right in front of you! How would certain variables change your decision?

[krissy]

the one in person
you call the other person back after

[Calliope]

The person calling should be understanding that you are busy - and because they've reached out, there's a pretty good chance that you can raincheck, right? Hang out with the person you are already with.

[Formalhaut]

The person calling should be understanding that you are busy - and because they've reached out, there's a pretty good chance that you can raincheck, right? Hang out with the person you are already with.

This, and also the fact that I hate talking on the phone unless I have to.

[Vermachtnis]

The one in person. Must be fate or whatever.

[Laddy]

If someone is cool with calling you they'll understand the call might not be the best-timed.

[Pheesh]

When this plays out in my mind 90% of the time assuming you pick up the phone a polite person would say "well it's been great catching up with you, I'm going to grab a table." Then if you want to speak to them after you hang up again then simply approach their table. Who just stands there while someone is on the phone waiting for them to hang up?

That said, if I wanted to continue speaking to my friend in person then I just don't pick up the phone. I don't answer my phone half the time anyway if it's not totally convenient for me.

[Sephex]

Finish the conversation with the person in front of you. Call the other person back later. Pick up milk on the way home.

[Fynn]

Is it a fancy restaurant?

[Pumpkin]

I picked the wrong option because I'm half asleep

The one in person. I don't even look at my phone in those situations so I wouldn't even know it was an old friend calling until after the rendez-vous was over anyway

[KentaRawr!]

I picked the wrong option because I'm half asleep

The one in person. I don't even look at my phone in those situations so I wouldn't even know it was an old friend calling until after the rendez-vous was over anyway

Shoot, I did that, too.

If I cut the conversation off with the person in front of me, I might not get their contact information before we part ways! So I should let the person on the phone know that I'll call them back later and continue hanging out with my in-person friend!

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Yeah, if I'm in the middle of catching up with an old friend, I'll just feel my cell phone vibrate and ignore it.

Once we're seated and the initial greeting is over I'd check my phone really quick to make sure it wasn't anything urgent, but I wouldn't brush off the friend I bumped into to talk my other friend.

Especially if I'm at a restaurant. Conversation with someone at your table is fine, but it seems like a conversation with someone on your cell phone at a restaurant can become rude.

I guess that's mostly because people on their cell phone seem to talk more loudly than when they talk face to face.

[Shiny]

I would continue with the person I'm talking to in-person. I'd send a text or call the person asking them if I could talk to them in a bit later because I'm in the middle of something. This has happened before I did the exact same thing.

[Mr. Carnelian]

The person calling should be understanding that you are busy - and because they've reached out, there's a pretty good chance that you can raincheck, right? Hang out with the person you are already with.

This, and also the fact that I hate talking on the phone unless I have to.

Agreed. I hate, hate, HATE phone calls.

[Shaibana]

its pretty obvious to me..

there is nothing more anying then being ignored by someone you were talking to because of a phone call.
so unless somebody is dying i will thank that friend on the phone and ask im if i can call him back later.