Truth and Lies

 

The truth is still the truth, even if no-one believes it.

A lie is still a lie, even if everyone believes it.

As I child I couldn't lie. One day I was at a friend's house having tea. My friend was lying and wanted me to back her up. Her mother looked at me as I was silent and said 'Fleure is like George Washington she cannot tell a lie.'

To be honest I couldn't understand the need. Oh yes I was a little goody, goody not because I made a choice out of honesty but because I was terrified of punishment.

I remember lying when I was in the Girl Guides. Yes you know the organisation in which you have to promise things. I can't even remember them now. I looked up the promise on Google but it has changed and I would not take it today. Anyway this is the lie I told.

We were away at camp. It wasn't even proper camping as we had moved into a church hall because we had been washed out by torrential rain. I was in the kitchen helping to prepare a meal. Sausage and mash. It seemed to be taking for ever. I have no idea why. Perhaps we were waiting for the potatoes to boil. All I remember is that I was hungry. Hungrier than I had ever been. I was in the kitchen alone with a roasting tray full of cooked sausages which had been counted. There were two sausages per person. I ate one. I couldn't help it. Of course there came the enquiry. We were all confronted and asked to own up to the theft. I couldn't do it.

When I lived in France I was invited to a party. I was meeting most people for the first time. There was one women who remains a friend to this day. Her name is Sylvaine. The hostess was called Teresa. She saw that Syvaine and I had introduced ourselves and were getting on like a house on fire.

Teresa said, 'Look at those two. I knew they would get on.'

Then spitefully added, 'Of course Sylvaine is more interesting than Fleure. She has lived in America and the Caribbean and Engalnd and she is French. Fleure has only lived in England and France.'

'Oh didn't you know? ' I said, 'I lived in Russia for a few years.'

' Can you speak Russian then? ' asked another guest.

'I did,' I said, 'but I can only remember a few words like spasibo, pazalista and dosidivanya.'

'Russia. That's still only Europe,' said catty Teresa.

'Oh yes, I did live in Brazil for a time. '

'Did you learn Brazilian? ' asked Teresa.

'Don't be silly,' I said. 'Portuguese is spoken in Brazil.

I learned Portuguese there. Of course Brazilian Portuguese is not like Portuguese Portuguese.'

'So you learned Portuguese too, ' said another guest.

'I did but again I have forgotten most of it. I remember, 'por favor, obrigado, olá, adeus.' It's like everything else if you don't use it you lose it.'

The conversation moved on and the guests continued to party.

The next day I was having lunch with a group of friends all of whom had been at the party. Throughout the meal which incidently was a buffet, people came up to me to chat.

'What an amazing life you've had living in Russia and Brazil.'

Another friend whom I had known for a long time said,' Good gracious Fleure I had know idea that you had lived in Russia and Brazil.'

I was astonished. The lying had been a spur of the moment thing. When I was doing it I was sure that no-one would believe me. So when I discovered that everyone had been taken in by my lies I was shocked.

It seems that it is very easy to lie and a lie is still a lie even if everyone believes it.

I have to add that I did enjoy lying. So unlike George Washington, I can lie and even enjoy it.