I hate dinner parties.
Whenever my parents threw their annual Christmas party, I used to hide in the hallway, sitting on the bottom tread of the stairs, listening to the muffled din. As a very shy and introverted child, any large gathering felt tremendously overwhelming: too many people, too much noise. It was the same at birthdays, anniversaries, any kind of party, really. All of these get-togethers felt entirely overwhelming, so whenever I could, I would slip quietly away and sit on the stairs, in the utility room, even on the upstairs toilet.
