calendula_witch, I finally go up to the receptionist and ask if this is a cell-phone free zone as most waiting rooms at OHSU are. He's unsure, and clearly doesn't want to be drawn in. I return to my seat and the woman with the loud talker looks at me in disgust and says sarcastically, "Really?"Me: "Yes. This is a pretty quiet place, and his voice carries. It's quite disruptive."
Her: "Well, he was having a problem at work."
Me: "Yes, I know. I heard all of it. But there's an area down by the elevator lobby for cell phones."
Her: "He's quite ill, you know." (This she tells me in an oncology unit. Ahem.)
Me: "What do you think I'm doing here?"
It's that weird po-mo etiquette that says objecting to someone's intrusive cell phone conversation is the height of rudeness, but doesn't see the intrusive conversation as a problem. She was most put out at my objection.
(The guy was quite apologetic and very nice about it, btw.)