My Social Anxiety

My Social Anxiety

I’m an introvert, with a social phobia. I prefer to spend my time with my dogs and my books and just a select few humans (aka my family). Small talk is something I find draining and a waste of good reading time. I used to be persuaded to go to social gatherings, would agree, just to be polite, then almost have a panic attack whenever I thought about attending. Now I’m older I just say ‘No thanks, I prefer to stay at home’.If people think I’m anti social or weird, so be it, we can’t all be party animals and it doesn’t make me a bad person. I would never say I didn’t like someone because they go to too many parties!

One of the best things about getting older is that you care less about what people think of you. I have developed more of a ‘this is me, take me or leave me’ attitude and I feel better for it. I would much rather have a handful of friends who would take a bullet for me, than loads of acquaintances with whom I would meet occasionally for coffee and a competition to see who has the most expensive handbag.

My high school has just organised a reunion. Facebook was on fire with the ‘so excited’  and ‘can’t wait’ brigade. I couldn’t think of anything worse so I wrote this poem.

Hope you like it:-

THE SCHOOL REUNION

Is it a joy or is it a curse?

To meet again after thirty years

No one ever looks the same

And I try and try to remember the name

Of the stranger stood in front of me

My best friend, supposedly

But somehow, I just can’t recall

Now he’s fourteen stone and six foot tall

And I really struggle to remember the time

When we all got drunk on homemade wine

And what happened to old Mr Brough?

I really couldn’t give a stuff!

And have you heard about William Cheetham?

Who had bad breath and went to Eton

So, I’ll say farewell, because you see

That school reunions aren’t for me!

                                                              Kate Hanford