An Occasion to Lie.

When I was in early elementary school I had a problem with lying. I just lied to lie. I might tell my mother that my friend, Danielle didn't go to school that day, when she was indeed there all day long. Or maybe I would tell my piano teacher that my grandpa bought a new car, when he was still quite obviously driving his old one when he picked me up from lessons. Well, this was a problem for my mother & I was warned on numerous occasions to "stop with the lying". But I failed to heed warnings and continued. Finally, my mother threatened to put Tobasco sauce on my tongue (the obvious culprit, stupid tongue) the next time I lied. I lied, was caught and I smirked with my tongue stuck out so my mother could administer one drop of Tobasco. My mother would like to believe that this stopped my lying. Perhaps it did. But every once in a while it comes back.

Tonight at work in the midst of out of town business people shouting orders of Guinness and Jameson at me, a man asked me if my hair was it's natural color. "Yes, it is," I replied. This is my stock response to this question. It is so obvious that it is dyed; if you have the audacity to ask me, I will have the audacity to lie to you. Usually a compliment will follow and the conversation moves on or ends. Well not tonight.

This particular man couldn't believe it; it was so vibrant and unique. He then went on to ask what my family heritage is. I told him Norwegian, "One hundred percent?" he asked.

"Yep," I say & it is so not true. He then asks which region of Norway and I tell him that both of my parents came from a tiny little island called Evjen that lies between Norway and Denmark. He prods further and I tell him that my parents came to the U.S. together when they were 18 and everyone in my family has hair this color, it's kind of an unofficial trademark of people from the island of Evjen. He is astonished and inquires about tourism on Evjen, I encourage him to visit; it's very nice as I spent many summers there growing up. He promises to do so & is going to look it up in his atlas when he gets home.

Where is that Tobasco?

xoxx