I suspect, given the ex cop’s age, that there might be a degree of dementia involved as well. Preoccupation with something trivial, in this case texting (the account where he followed some woman to a restroom over it on a previous occasion), is one of the signs.
It isn’t as though the victim was talking on his phone in a disruptive and disturbing manner. I’ve been in movies where that was the case. And more than one person complained to management about it. I fully expect people to text during previews and even movies anymore. Most under 50’s are completely addicted to it. No one expects to get flack over it anymore. Especially since it wasn’t during the movie itself.
I go to about 0.2 movies per year for those reasons and others.
Sadly. I have seen people driving (if you can call it driving) down a dangerous highway with two thumbs on the phone. Just stupid. Most of it is drivel, could have been done verbally hands-free, would have been more efficiently communicated by voice, and will wait anyway.