Sentencing this old gal to a "time out"

"The gang" here at work is going to lunch, and I just told a fib to get out of it. I didn't make anything up out of whole cloth; I used my oldest friend's current custody issues as an excuse and said I had to stick close to the phone. She is having visitation issues, but I don't expect her to call me about them. I just didn't feel like going to lunch en masse. As soon as it's safe, I'm going to slip out to the health club.

My alone time is the pause that refreshes. It makes me feel more human and better prepared to face the world. I have always been like this. I remember when I was a kid, I used to love being sent to my room. It meant that I had time with my toys and records (remember records?) and books without a parent or sibling invading my space.