It's 9:01pm and its like a switch has flipped. Despite the fact that I love and adore every single human I am at the dinner table with, the anxiety has started to seep into my brain. Have you ever felt this way?
This is what my brain is saying: it is time to go home now. It is late. It is dark. It is not safe. You. Must. Go. Home. Now. My heart starts to race and the conversation I just been an active participant in starts to fade. I need to get out of this restaurant. The chair is too small. There is no air in here. I am grateful that my friend who knows me so well catches the look on my face and says, do you need to go home?
Hesitation and then a flood of yeses and apologies and air kisses and who should I Venmo stream out of me as I gather my stuff and run outside like I am about to turn into a werewolf in the middle of a midtown restaurant if I dont get outside and get some air…