embellished lies

They had not seen her since high school, but one day she just showed up.  Sherrie claimed that she had been spending time with another friend from grade school.  Sherrie said things like “why would I lie”, and “I have no reason to lie to you”… and then Sherrie told them things she claimed to have discussed with the grade school friend. Things about everyone they all knew.  Things she claimed the other person said about everyone.  Sherrie embellished every truth with a series of lies designed to drive a permanent wedge between people.  And she punctuated her lies with “what reason would I have to lie to you?”

The thing was that Sherrie was angry. And bitter.  Sherrie was a bleeding heart liberal, who wore pussy hats and marched in useless protests.  Sherrie had hurt feelings because the person she lied about said that, rather than wear a pussy hat, and march in a useless parade, people should take action in their own communities to effect change.  Sherrie thought that was very hurtful and also wrong. 

Now, months later, the pussy hat parades have proven to have been about the most useless thing anyone could have done.  And the person Sherrie lied about came away with a lesson,…a revelation of sorts…. That the people she had known for more than half a lifetime,…people she had attended school with, hung out with, driven around in her car for hours on end…those people were never her friends.  After high school they all vanished completely, and they never reached out to her. 

She has asked that “Sherrie” be thanked. 

Sherrie learned very little, got all bent out of shape, and lied about someone with a good heart.

The person who was lied about? She learned things about others, and herself.   She learned that she should never trust anyone.  She learned that she had been all alone her entire life.  She learned that supposed friends will believe lies from someone they have not seen or spoken to in decades.   She closed herself off, a little more, from the world. Protecting her psyche from liars and betrayers and people she never really knew at all.

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