I've Been Faking Sleep When My Mom Calls Me at Work

Hey there, folks. I’ve got this thing with my mom that’s been going on for the past few months now, and it’s really getting to me. So here goes: you see, I work nights at a small diner in town, late-night stuff, so pretty much everyone’s already asleep when I’m working. Lately, my mom has been calling me up around midnight or 1 AM, which is right during the busiest part of the night for us. She calls to check on me, and I guess it’s sweet because she does care, but honestly, every time that phone rings, I just want to scream. It feels like an intrusion into my work world, something where I’m already trying to be focused and efficient while dealing with cranky customers who are also at their wit's end from working late themselves. So, to avoid having long conversations during the peak hours, I’ve been faking that I’m asleep. The first few times, I tried to give her a quick update and keep it short, but that was stressful too because you can feel everyone’s eyes on you when you’re talking on your phone during a rush. So, I started pretending to snooze whenever the call comes in, I don’t answer or anything; just leave it go to voicemail. It feels mean, but at least this way, customers aren’t distracted and my boss doesn’t think I’m slacking off because of personal calls. Of course, now every time she tries back a few minutes later, there’s an unanswered call waiting for her, which must be making her worry. This isn't exactly the son or daughter anyone wants to admit to being, but sometimes in life, you do what you have to do to survive your day-to-day grind. I wish it didn’t feel so bad, but right now, that fake sleep is my little sanctuary.