An involved project with a hardand fast deadline, accompanied by countless details, led me one day recently to squeeze in a walk with a list of telephone calls to return.

When I f ini shed, I realized that I had killed two birds with one stone. It was efficient multi-tasking, but I castigated myself thoroughly for allowing the damnable cell phone to intrude on my walk. I should have been enjoying spring's vivaciousness. Listening to the birds rather than drowning them out with my conversation.

The cell phone can make things noticeably convenient. You can get a lot of work done with gadgets like that with their remarkable portability. With that disclaimer, I am quite disturbed that I have joined the ranks of those who seem to have nothing better to do than yap away on cell phones. Your compressed schedule can't be that important.

Sadly, I am just a piker compared to what I see happing with cell phones today. Technology has our society going nuts. When I see what is going on, I realize that the place where the cell phone is abused most is in the car (Here, again I am guilty). I wonder just how many accidents result from drivers' cell phone usage, and we haven't even broached the subject of text messaging while driving. God forbid! Are any of the following scenes familiar to you:

l Two coeds at a Georgia baseball game carrying on conversations on their respective cell phones, emotionally detached from the excitement of a three-run homer by the home team, which had the crowd on its feet. They remained seated, chatting away.

l A construction worker in a ditch, taking a break and laughing generously on his cell phone, a nearby backhoe operator doing the same thing.

l A cyclist pedaling down Lumpkin Street . . . one hand on the handle bar and the other holding a cell phone to his ear.

l A gas station attendant, pumping gas, talking to the lady behind the wheel and carrying on a cell conversation at the same time.

l A coed at lunch at the Learning Foundation, cell phone in one hand, hamburger in the other, chatting away as hamburger juices dripped down her shirt.

l An elderly lady walking her dog and chatting away on her cell phone.

l A funeral director, cell phone in one hand and directing traffic with the other as mourners pull into the parking lot.

l A lady trying parallel park, straining to keep the phone in place between her shoulder and ear.

l A short order cook flipping pancakes with one hand and the other pressing his cell phone to his ear.

If you see a college-age girl walking anywhere without a cell phone to her ear, I'll buy you a round-trip ticket, first class, to Bangkok.

Any day now, I expect to see a bored outfielder whip out his cell phone while the manager is at the mound making a pitching change, a preacher stopping in midsermon to answer his cell phone, Judge Judy interrupting proceedings to take a quick call.

Only a man operating a jackhammer refrains from using his cell phone while he works.

I'll give up when I see a flyfisherman on the Chattahoochee with one hand holding a fly rod and the other a cell phone.