Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

One night at dinner recently, someone posed a question which stopped us in our tracks – “Why lie?” The question was put to us during a discussion about excuses and the lengths that people will go to avoid the truth or avoid contact with certain people.

As we all shared stories of bending the truth in situations which we desperately wanted to avoid for one reason or another, the stories became more preposterous. Most vivid imaginations and stories threw us into hysterics, gasping along the way. But realising that it became commonplace with everyone at the table, I started to wonder – who can you trust?

The fact of the matter is - is that everyone lies, bends the truth, exaggerates and fibs throughout their lives. I’ve done it, you’ve done it and your colleague sitting opposite you has done it. But when excuses upon excuses and lies upon lies are dished out, people begin to question the intent and start to form opinions which aren’t necessarily favourable.

The trick to being able to tell lies successfully is not getting caught. I must admit that in my time, I have come up with some gems to avoid any conflict with my friends or family. But there have been times where I’ve been caught out and I have had to backtrack and come up with an even more convoluted lie to cover the last one. Believe me, it’s not easy!

One lie that came to bite me on the arse was when my friend and I went to the Australian International Air Show a few years back. The day was amazing but it was also a scorching hot day. By the end of the day we were burnt red raw and the following day we were questioned as to our whereabouts. We lied. But within days, my friend let slip where we had gone and by then, it was too late.

We laugh about it now, but I learnt then that lying and making absurd excuses were never a good option. But I have been privy to excuses and lies in the years since that incident from people around me, and they don’t realise that I find out everything in the end... an investigative journalist does so with stealth and success. So watch out because I will find out when you least expect it.