What I do when someone calls (my parents are no longer alive) when I'm busy & I don't have time to talk....I usually end up sending them a quick text saying "Hey, busy right now, don't have time to talk.....will get back with you as soon as I can"....that way they know you are ok, they know you are too busy to talk & you don't give them anything to hassle you about.

Honestly I'm really bad with my cell phone (I live alone) & there are times when I leave it in my truck or down stairs. I am usually really busy doing other things & not thinking about the phone until I realize just how quiet it's been & they I go on a search for my phone & usually find it with a dead battery on top of being far away from where I was anyway.

I did that last weekend. Our organist at church was trying to get in touch with me on Saturday to let me know that I needed to play piano for church the next day & give me the hymns to play. I didn't respond to her calls.....nor her texts all day Saturday....I didn't even realize my phone was MIA until Sunday morning & I changed the battery. A few minutes later another friend drove up to see if I was ok & it was the normal time we would drive to church anyway. Stupid phone didn't even give me any of the messages or any voice mails.....Our organist thought I might be mad at her for giving me such short notice......I don't get mad an anyone for anything at least not that trivial.....so I texted her to let her know that all was ok & what happened. I am forever doing that.....but living alone, people worry about whether I'm ok or not also or if I've been injured (I own a huge home with lots of stairs & 3 dogs that are always trying to trip me). I honestly appreciate that they do care about how I am. I had another friend try to call me when my phone actually did die (problems with the charger connection & I couldn't get my phone to charge)....she actually called a neighbor who came down to check on me to see if I was ok). So when I am busy & I do have my phone with me, I make sure I text back to their call or voice mail to let them know I'm just busy that day or at that moment & will get back with them as soon as I can....saves everyone a lot of hassle & it also saves anyone getting angry (thank heavens my friends aren't like family can be at times)