Read the following article and answer the question.

It was back to school this week you know and -- wait hold on , " he could hear her covering the mouthpiece and it was through a muffled screen he heard his niece start to cry . Thank God I do n't have kids . " If this is a bad time , " he started to say , but his sister cut him off before he could finish .

How was the man in contact with sister when they were having a discussion ?
They were talking on the phone when she started having kid problems .