Phone Calls

Me: not a big fan of phone calls. Really not. I have no problem with e-mail, and instant messenger is fine (even if you can’t express sarcasm), but phone-calls? Nuh-uh. I don’t quite know why, but I just like to see the person I’m talking to. Be it my godmother or a bank manager, phone calls make me uncomfortable, nervous, irritable, anxious and tense.
There are three levels of phone call:
1) Close Family – these are the ones I’m alright with. My mother, my father, my brother and one aunt are in this category. These are the only people I don’t mind getting calls from, or having to call.
2) Less close family, friends, people I know personally – I hate this category. Whenever I know I have to call somebody, I am nervous for days. I push it away, avoid it. When I finally have to do it, I first drink some tea and eat something comforting. Then I grimace and attack the number pad. Conversations are brief, awkward and not enjoyable. I am so uncomfortable in these situations, even though I genuinely like these people and wouldn’t mind having whatever conversation it is (from “How was your summer?” to "You owe me money.”) in person, but just… eurgh. Keep it well away from me.
3) Business calls, calls to help lines, enquiries – this is alright, a bit better than 2. I know there is an official purpose and when it’s done it’s fine just to say “Thank you, goodbye”. No wishy washy “you hang up… no you hang up…” I don’t like making these calls, but I can make it through them alright. It still stresses me out though.
I made two type-3 phone calls today. First to the bank to make an appointment about when I can talk to them about moving to Iceland and secondly to the NHS to enquire about… well, moving to Iceland. But they directed me to the EHIC helpline, who directed me to the National Insurance helpline, who directed me to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs… which snubbed me, and hung up on me. Three times in a row. And their website has no other contact details. How am I supposed to ask them if I need to fill out the E101 form if there is nobody I can ask?
Argh. Bureaucracy.
I know I’ll have to suck it up and call more people.
But I don’t want to.