[apple4ever]

If its my wife calling about my son going to the hospital, you are damn right its important enough.

Stop assuming the meeting is more important that people’s lives. In fact, I say the meeting is less important.

If a boss did that, I’d leave and find a new job. I’m not a 5 year. I’m an adult. I will be treated like one.

[rosser]

This is one of the cases where "the exception proves the rule." It's massively specious to point to exigence as an excuse for general unprofessionalism. Of course that circumstance is different from chit-chat. If you're interrupting a meeting I'm in, when I could have had my hands on the keyboard accomplishing things for that, I'd want you to find a new job, too — but you probably wouldn't want to use me as a reference.