What can you talk about on the phone every day for hours? (member, sister)

[settled00]

I had a neighbor who behaved exactly as you described your neighbor. He'd walk around the neighborhood and talk quite loud in the middle of the night. It was really irritating. I suspect he's talking to friends and family on the other side of the world - who else is up at that hour? He needs to learn some manners and go inside to have those conversations.

I do have conversations via mobile and Skype that have been known to last many many hours. In fact just last night I had regular 3.5 hour talk with an old friend who lives in another state, and we still didn't cover everything! But I don't walk around the neighborhood speaking loudly in a foreign language. How annoying!!!

So you have every right to complain, but I'd recommend calling in a noise complaint to security first during the middle of the night while it is happening. I doubt HOA or Property Manager would be able to do anything at all but security will at least speak to them. I know how annoying that can be, but I truly believe this is a cultural difference. I've traveled enough and work with similar folks who do the same thing at work. It's apparently "not rude" where they come from.

I sympathize - hope that helps.

[kapikap]

You know, some people sit on facebook live for hours talking with whoever from another country. This could be someone that is homesick.

there is also online gaming, where you talk on a headset. He could be competing in a role playing game . The gamer can be the worse neighbor you can ever have. A single male, with headphones on ,screaming in silence. You will hear the occasional bang or thrashing of something, but people with headphones on do not realize how loud they are being. Gamers can be anti social as well, maybe avoiding you because of it. Gamers can be playing for hours and not even realize it.

[WSPHXPELON]

My wife talks to family members outside of the USA on the phone for SEVERAL hours every single day. It's mostly all gossiping about family members. I.e. Toñita is cheating on Juan, Hector lost his job, Luis went to jail, Efrain is leaving his wife and bla bla bla...

Some people just LOVE to gossip for hours on end. Mostly women, but men can do it too.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by jobaba

So, I have this neighbor who lives downstairs.

He's an Asian guy, and I'm not being racist because I am also Asian (American).

He will talk on the phone loud in Chinese and I can hear it all.

So ... he will talk every day on the phone for 3, 4, 5 sometimes 6 hours in a row. He'll do it during the day, at night, early in morning. 11 PM, 2 AM.

I've complained and tried to talk to him, confronted him, he rarely opens the door when I knock. He runs away when I try and talk to him when I catch him in the parking lot.

As far as I can tell he doesn't have a job and rarely leaves the apartment.

So, tell me. What can a single person who spends all of their time at home possible have to talk about on the phone for that many hours? And who on the other end would listen for that many hours. I mean, I talk to my sister whom I haven't spoken to for sometimes months and the conversation lasts like 30 minutes. Maybe. She has stuff to do and kids.

Granted, I'm not the most social person, but I'm seriously wondering. What can you talk about for hours on end if you're a person who doesn't really have anything to talk about?

Does somebody have like a mother or father or grandparents who just talk all day long? I've also noticed that sometimes when I go into a deli or gas station, the attendants are just on the (hands-free) phone and I can tell they've been doing that all day. Do people talk about like literally what they are doing at the moment?

You must have some very thin walls where you live. If your neighbor talking on the phone bothers you as much as you claim, the solution is for you to move. You can't dictate how long a neighbor talks on the phone. That's ridiculous to even think so.

[jamary1]

Years ago, I had a co-worker who spent hours a day on the phone with her mother and sister in another state. She seemed to be able to get all her work done with the cellphone plugged in her ear. Her side of the conversation usually consisted of "Uh-huh, uh-huh, yeah, uh-huh, uh-huh, yeah me too, uh-huh, yeah, uh-huh, noooo!, OK, yeah, uh-huh...." It didn't bother me.


I can't stand to be on the phone much. I talk to my mother daily. It takes about five minutes most of the time. I ask her how she is, she asks me how I am, we're both fine, the weather's good, a little gossip and that's it. We save the "big talk" for visits. Most of the conversations with my boyfriend consist of "Do I need to pick up some milk? How's the bread situation?"

[ylisa7]

When you talked to him how did the conversation go? I find it really strange that he runs away from you when he sees you in the parking lot. Either you threatened him or he is unstable.

As for how he can be on the phone I have no idea as I hate talking on the phone. It could be business, it could be lots of family, or it could be no one and he is mental.

If you can't talk to him and you can't move maybe get some ear plugs. Yeah it's a pain but many times neighbors don't have any respect for other neighbors. Good luck.

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by AllisonHB

He may have his own business and uses a phone to operate it. He might have customers in different time zones overseas. You are assuming a lot about someone you haven't even talked to. The manner in which you approach him obviously upsets or frightens him. Maybe that's the problem.

Come, come, let's cover all the bases.......maybe the guy is a nutter.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by jobaba

For four hours in a row, every day? At different times of the day?

I get there are things to talk about, and I myself have gone on tangents over the phone. But seriously?

When you put it that way, yes, it's weird and excessive, and mystifying.

To answer your original question, talking on the phone can be a form of entertainment. My mother used to talk to her sister on the phone for around an hour and a half every day. What on earth could they possibly have to talk about for that long, every day?! But it's more about "visiting", it's about maintaining a bond, a form of emotional intimacy. That's all I can tell you. And teens, when I was one, but some--even now, were/are notorious for whiling away a couple of hours on the phone on a regular basis.

Somehow, I don't think answers like this are going to help you, though. And 6 hrs? Even the most hard-core teens couldn't meet that record, even with texting, and how long it takes to type stuff into the phone, vs. talking.

How old is this guy? Any chance he's being supported by his parents back home? He doesn't work or go to school? And he runs away from you? That's also weird. I suspect he has rich parents back in China who are supporting him, and he may be spending his time on the phone with his mom. And in the evenings, maybe with his dad. And/or other family members. Maybe they're yelling at him for not finding a job or not going to his classes, lol.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by emotiioo

OP I think people who talk on the phone this long have something seriously wrong with them. But I hate talking on the phone at all. I have a friend I have not talked to in over a year because each time she calls me and I pick up, its at least 2 hours. There are no breaks in the conversation as its mostly one sided. I will try to exit MANY times and she just keeps going. Some people are like this. They take you hostage. Its like extroversion run amok. They just need an audience.

I would echo what others have said and make a complaint. If nothing comes of it I would look for another place to live. But you have my sympathy.

In some cases, it's narcissism, in others, it's neediness.

[Zoisite]

My guess is he's a bookie.


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