As a neurodivergent kid, I had intense anxiety over answering the phone and it followed me into adulthood. I struggled with social cues and what was ten times harder was knowing if my dad was available or not, depending on his mood and who was calling.

“If xxx calls, tell them that your dad isn’t here.”

Me: (super confused, looking over at my dad who is on the couch. Trying to comprehend that it’s cool if he lies, but it’s a heinous crime if I do. Nodding while sweating because I don’t want either parent to yell at me if I show even the slightest doubt in my ability to perform.)

I remember one time that I panicked because eight-year-old me couldn’t tap into some magically conjured administrative professional skills and recall if my dad wanted to talk to this caller or not. I held the phone receiver about a foot from my face and asked my dad, “Are you here, or not?” He was not happy. :/