so I (23M) recently went to a dinner party hosted by my friend (25F), who has suddenly decided she’s a “wellness minimalist” or whatever that means. she sent out a group text a few days beforehand saying, “let’s make this a no-phones dinner! let’s be present and just enjoy each other’s company!”

okay. fine. i’m not addicted to my phone. i can go two hours without scrolling through reddit or wtv. but here’s the thing: i’m a type 1 diabetic. i use a continuous glucose monitor that syncs with my phone to alert me if my blood sugar drops too low or spikes. it literally saves my life. like, not figuratively. literally.

so i text her back, super politely: “hey! just FYI, i’ll still need to have my phone on me for medical reasons—glucose monitor and such.” she replies: “totally get it, but maybe just keep it in your bag and check discreetly? i really want to maintain the no-phone vibe.”

i thought she was joking. i wasn’t about to risk slipping into a coma so she could feel like we were in a jane austen novel.

night of the dinner, (yesterday), i have my phone next to my plate like a sane person. a low alert goes off (literally just a soft buzz), and i pull out my insulin pen to make a correction. my friend gives me this smile-frown combo like i just whipped out a vape, she says, “could you please take that to the bathroom?”

i stared at her for a full five seconds, then stood up, grabbed my purse, and said, “sure, i’ll take it to the bathroom—at my own house.”

i left. got food. had a great time monitoring my blood sugar without shame.

aitah?