When you're talking to someone on the phone, and that person gets another call that person will put you on hold. Being put on hold is a common occurence these days. One shouldn't take it too personally as almost everyone today has call waiting or multiple telephone lines. If the person you were talking to is polite he or she will tell the incoming call that s/he is unable to talk as they are already in the middle of a conversation with you. However, an increasingly common scenario is that the person you were talking to leaves you on hold for an extended period of time while s/he converses with the person who interrupted your original conversation.