Is it an introvert thing or a thing of people with social anxiety to hate making phone calls? I recognize it’s irrational, and I generally don’t mind talking on the phone once I’m engaged in a conversation, but making a call? Terrible.
A week prior, a friend had texted.
“Have you talked to [mutual friend] lately?”
“Not in the last week or so. Why?”
“I texted her a few days ago and haven’t heard back from her yet.”
“I’m on Facebook right now. I’ll shoot her a message.”
I did. Several days later, when that message was still marked unread, I sent a text.
It’s not unusual for her not to reply for a couple of days, but more days passed than I was comfortable with. I also knew that her husband and one of her kids had had COVID and hoped she was still healthy.
I checked back in.
“Hey—have you heard back from [mutual friend] yet?”
Nope.
“I’m a little worried and I’m not sure what to do.”
I texted another friend.
“Hey. I contacted [mutual friend] last week via Facebook Messenger and then via text and both are still unread and I’m worried and not sure what to do.”
Then, the kicker.
“Have you called her?”
I laughed out loud. It had never occurred to me to call her.
“My phone-phobic brain is rationalizing by saying that the text and the call are on the same device so why send a second when I already sent the first? But my rational brain says yes, go call!”
I called. She answered.
“The person who hates making phone calls is calling me!”
We ended up talking for 45 minutes.
I confirmed she’s OK, and I added a new tool to my kit: making a phone call.
