--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The phone rings. “Asshole,” she mutters…" description: "\"The phone rings. “Asshole,” she mutters. She picks it up. “Will you let me explain?” “No.” She hangs up.\" — Lisa McMann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/lisa-mcmann-4356_asshole_the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she_627976.png" --- # The phone rings. “Asshole,” she mutters. She picks it up… ![“The phone rings. “Asshole,” she mutters. She picks it up. “Will you let me explain?” “No.” She hangs up.” quote by Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/lisa-mcmann-4356_asshole_the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she_627976.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/lisa-mcmann-4356_asshole_the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she_627976.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/lisa-mcmann-4356_asshole_the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she_627976.png) > “The phone rings. “Asshole,” she mutters. She picks it up. “Will you let me explain?” “No.” She hangs up.” [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A brief, hostile exchange shows how pride can block communication and deepen conflict. **In simple terms:** Pride stops dialogue. Key Takeaway Listen before reacting. Themes communication pride conflict boundaries Mood tense frustrated critical Type advice cautionary When to use this quote - argument - customer service - family dispute - workplace tension Key Concepts interpersonal dynamics emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What could have changed the outcome? - How can you defuse similar moments? A Different Perspective Escalation can damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) ## Related quotes > [I'll call you," he repeated. "If you call me, I won't pick up the phone." "You will wait by the phone for my call,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-ll-call-you-he-repeated-if-you-call-me-i-won-t-pick-up-the-phone/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Why all these years have I been agreeably turning down the stereo every time the phone rings?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/why-all-these-years-have-i-been-agreeably-turning-down-the-stereo/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [The phone rings and there's another Broadway show or another TV series or a movie. That's the gamble you take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-farr/the-phone-rings-and-there-s-another-broadway-show-or-another-tv/) [Jamie Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-farr/) > [What a great way to make some money is just fine somebody $300 if their phone rings in the theatre. That'll make them remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/what-a-great-way-to-make-some-money-is-just-fine-somebody-300-if/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [Pretending to be committed is very difficult when actually all the time ur phone rings is just because your mom calls u :(](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaseem-kapoor/pretending-to-be-committed-is-very-difficult-when-actually-all-the/) [Jaseem Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaseem-kapoor/) > [I was just in the middle of singing a song about how broke we were and now my cell phone rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-madden/i-was-just-in-the-middle-of-singing-a-song-about-how-broke-we-were/) [Joel Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-madden/) > [“My phone rings. It’s my mom Sara. “Do you mind?” I ask Caleb. I think it’s very rude to talk on a cell in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-archer/my-phone-rings-it-s-my-mom-sara-do-you-mind-i-ask-caleb-i-think-it-s/) [C.J. Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-archer/) > [EVERY TIME MY PHONE RINGS I KNOW THAT ITS YOU BECAUSE MY SENSES CAN FEEL YOU](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-time-my-phone-rings-i-know-that-its-you-because-my-senses-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Turning into a Ninja when your phone rings in another room!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca/turning-into-a-ninja-when-your-phone-rings-in-another-room/) [Becca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca/) > [Everytime the phone rings, I wish it was you. Haha, jk. I know you hate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everytime-the-phone-rings-i-wish-it-was-you-haha-jk-i-know-you-hate-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wives are people who think it's against the law not to answer the phone when it rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/wives-are-people-who-think-it-s-against-the-law-not-to-answer-the/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [It is exhausting knowing that most of the time the phone rings, most of the time there's an email, most of the time there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/it-is-exhausting-knowing-that-most-of-the-time-the-phone-rings-most/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [The hard part is waiting for that moment if you really like them...Or getting disappointed when your phone rings and it's not him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/the-hard-part-is-waiting-for-that-moment-if-you-really-like-them-or/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [The awkward moment when you're pretending you're talking to someone on the phone and then it rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-samuel/the-awkward-moment-when-you-re-pretending-you-re-talking-to-someone/) [Brandon Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-samuel/) > [We tell people to never call us again then when the phone rings, we hope it's them. It's the most twisted logic of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-tell-people-to-never-call-us-again-then-when-the-phone-rings-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lisa McMann > [Captain looks at Janie closely. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," she says. "You're gonna have a heck of a shiner by the time the day's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/captain-looks-at-janie-closely-jesus-mary-and-joseph-she-says-you-re/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [“It's the touching they both long for. The holding. Spent their whole lives, each without any.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/it-s-the-touching-they-both-long-for-the-holding-spent-their-whole/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [The Thickety is a sinister, magical debut with a marvelous and shocking heroine. J.A. White’s elegant writing and masterful plot kept me turning pages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/the-thickety-is-a-sinister-magical-debut-with-a-marvelous-and/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [She sits in the driveway, freezing, for thirty-six minutes. Arguing with herself. Because she thinks she's in love with him too. And there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/she-sits-in-the-driveway-freezing-for-thirty-six-minutes-arguing-with/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [“She opens her eyes slowly. It takes her a moment to adjust to the bright kitchen light, shining in her eyes. "Can we rearrange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/she-opens-her-eyes-slowly-it-takes-her-a-moment-to-adjust-to-the/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [“She knows some of her thoughts are irrational. She knows it and has always known it, even in fifth grade, when she used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/she-knows-some-of-her-thoughts-are-irrational-she-knows-it-and-has/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [“No choice is best”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/no-choice-is-best/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [Hippie said he couldn't stay. Be back tomorrow -Love,Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/hippie-said-he-couldn-t-stay-be-back-tomorrow-love-mom/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [“Are you actually laughing at me? Seriously?" Janie rubs her hair with a towel. "I almost died out there. Plus my brain is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/are-you-actually-laughing-at-me-seriously-janie-rubs-her-hair-with-a/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [“Hux closed his eyes and gave a ragged sigh, as if he’d been through a battle. Everyone around them became quiet, waiting to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/hux-closed-his-eyes-and-gave-a-ragged-sigh-as-if-he-d-been-through-a/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [Do you still love me, Janie?' Janie stares at him, incredulous. 'Yes, of course! I don't say it lightly.' 'Say it lightly in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/do-you-still-love-me-janie-janie-stares-at-him-incredulous-yes-of/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [“Ruined by the truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/ruined-by-the-truth/) [Lisa mcmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [With the notebook resting ominuslously on Janie's bed, Janie procrastinates. Does her homework first. And pours herself a bowl of ceral. Breakfast - one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/with-the-notebook-resting-ominuslously-on-janie-s-bed-janie/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [“Janie imagines a life without people. Without him. Broken heart, loneliness, but able to see, to feel. To live. To be, in peace. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/janie-imagines-a-life-without-people-without-him-broken-heart/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [Janie calls Cabel. "Hi, uh, Mom," she says. Cabel snorts. "Hello, dear. Did you make it through the blizzard?" "Yeah. Barely." Janie grins into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/janie-calls-cabel-hi-uh-mom-she-says-cabel-snorts-hello-dear-did-you/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) [Explore all 110 Lisa McMann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) ## More Asshole quotes > [“Light it up, bitch.' 'Light it up, asshole,' ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/light-it-up-bitch-light-it-up-asshole/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Hated By many Trash Talked By Many Guess How Many Fucks I Give Its Less Than One Asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karal/hated-by-many-trash-talked-by-many-guess-how-many-fucks-i-give-its/) Karal > [Sphincter is a Technical word for asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sphincter-is-a-technical-word-for-asshole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When someone describes themself as a taxpayer, they're about to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/when-someone-describes-themself-as-a-taxpayer-they-re-about-to-be-an/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“The asshole slipped Peggy a five-spot to bring him his burger first. Never trust a man with a penis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/the-asshole-slipped-peggy-a-five-spot-to-bring-him-his-burger-first/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [Dream big, work hard and don't be an asshole!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/dream-big-work-hard-and-don-t-be-an-asshole/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) > [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“When she had asked him how he was able to kill two men with his bare hands, he had gone into asshole mode, telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-taylor/when-she-had-asked-him-how-he-was-able-to-kill-two-men-with-his-bare/) Brad Taylor > [“It was official. I was an asshole with a permanently broken heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sheehan/it-was-official-i-was-an-asshole-with-a-permanently-broken-heart/) [Madeline Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-sheehan/) > [If you are an asshole, we can be best Friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/if-you-are-an-asshole-we-can-be-best-friends/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down, you dig,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/did-i-ever-tell-you-about-the-man-who-taught-his-asshole-to-talk-his/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“She really liked you, Noah,' 'Yeah, well, maybe I'm just an asshole.' I realize my hand is still in his hair and I retract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-wicks/she-really-liked-you-noah-yeah-well-maybe-i-m-just-an-asshole-i/) [Becky Wicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-wicks/) > [I'm nice until you piss me off...then I'm an asshole until you make me laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerett-parker/i-m-nice-until-you-piss-me-off-then-i-m-an-asshole-until-you-make-me/) [Jerett Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerett-parker/) > [Just because I don't fuck you anymore doesn't make me a lesbian.It just makes you an asshole.!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-ngr/just-because-i-don-t-fuck-you-anymore-doesn-t-make-me-a-lesbian-it/) [Simi Ngr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-ngr/) > [“Christ, what an asshole!" Babette said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/christ-what-an-asshole-babette-said/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) Browse all 489 Asshole quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The phone rings. “Asshole,” she mutters. She picks it up. “Will you let me explain?” “No.” She hangs up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lisa McMann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she-picks-it-up-will-you-let-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asshole" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she-picks-it-up-will-you-let-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/lisa-mcmann-4356_asshole_the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she_627976.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/lisa-mcmann-4356_asshole_the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she_627976.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b77/lisa-mcmann-4356_asshole_the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she_627976.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The phone rings. “Asshole,” she mutters. She picks it up. “Will you let me explain?” “No.” She hangs up.” — Lisa McMann", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lisa McMann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The phone rings. “Asshole,” she mutters....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she-picks-it-up-will-you-let-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/the-phone-rings-asshole-she-mutters-she-picks-it-up-will-you-let-me/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```