What do you do when you're forced to listen to someone blabbing away on a cellphone? Do you suffer in silence? Do you walk away? Do you say angry words aimed at blaming and shaming? Or maybe you've purchased one of those new technological contraptions and taken up jamming to get that annoyance to stop.

Me? I've suffered, walked and talked to no avail. I even checked out that contraption's promises. But jamming costs money. Besides, it's passive-aggressive, out of kilter with my quest to be a more peaceful me.

But it's hard to be peaceful when negative feelings like anger or frustration flare up. One school of thought identifies such feelings as indicators of unmet needs. Makes sense.

And peace guru Marshall B. Rosenberg's ideas include words to use to get those needs met. So I've been studying and practicing his strategies.

Still, when distressed over an unmet need, I tend to forget, give up, dismiss my need and walk away. That is, until one day recently when I had a need for quiet and got it met.

So here's my truth now. No one gets to invade my space with a cellphone. And I don't ignore them, walk away or even think violent words.

Incredible, you say? Fact is, I even surprised myself recently in a Houston airport.

I had just settled in with a book when a blaring announcement said my flight to Atlanta was delayed. OK, I thought. A good read will cushion the pain of waiting. Wrong. Bellowing of another sort now violated my space. "Hey! My plane's delayed so I thought I'd give you a shout back!"

Nearby paced a young man with a cellphone. Darn. I scoured the area with thoughts of flight. Clearly, it was standing room only. OK, I thought. I refuse to leave here and risk missing my flight. I can handle this. He'll surely finish up any second now.

Wrong again. My patience waned as seconds stretched to minutes. I cringed each time he began a new and ever-boisterous shout-back. I had a need. And this young man showed no intention of helping me get it met. Seeking justice, I'd write him a note, demanding that he stop his conspicuously selfish and thoroughly annoying behavior. Yes, indeed. I'd give this young man some colorful pieces of my mind.

As pen touched paper, however, the pieces changed colors. Peaceful ideas I'd diligently practiced leapt to mind, complete with words. I began to write:

"When you talk loudly on your phone, I feel frustrated and annoyed and angry because I have a need for peace and quiet while waiting for this delayed flight. So would you be willing to make this your last call or go elsewhere to talk? Thanks, Babs."

Note in hand, I stood and walked confidently to where he paced. Handing off the note, I waited till his expression told me he'd gotten my point. I smiled warmly and returned to my seat, where I read in peace and quiet until boarding my flight.

Perhaps my Peace Note may not always work so perfectly. But it did that day and has several times since.

In truth, I've vowed to tread lightly around cellphoning family members and friends. But to you, a stranger on a cellphone in my space? Uh-uh. Consider yourself warned.

> Babs Bell Hajdusiewicz of Atlanta is an author and educational consultant.

 GARY VISKUPIC / L.A. Times Syndicate