truth is stranger than fiction (or is it?)

As I got into the elevator with our dog, Phifey a curious Asian man asked in broken English, "How many time you take out dog?" Before the door could open I cheerfully blurted, "Ususally 3 or 4 times a day". Immediately, Phifey shot me a look of disbelief as I began to blush at an apparently innocent yet little (white) lie. "WOW!", he said stunned as I tried to change the subject by asking if he had any pets. Shaking his head with a vigorous "no", he appeared appalled as he calculated the number of times I ride the elevator on a daily basis. And just as I was about to explain that, "pets are really no trouble at all and that in theory- I'd like to take my dog out 4 times a day but realistically...well, you know, it was more like twice and sometimes, most times it's 3"...the elevator doors shut. There I was- mouth ajar, Asian man perplexed, and Phifey...let's just say she got all 4 walks, a romp on the beach, and extra kalbi bones with dinner.

So why do we do it? The exaggerating and stretching of the truth, that is. Lucky for us and I mean ALL of us- turns out that little white lies are more common than you think. Whether we're saving face or sparing feelings- the truth is, the truth hurts. And so what if I fudge the number of days I actually go to the gym or fib about how fabulous my overweight co-worker looked in a tank top? Researchers say that embellishers use their "fiction" as a way of some day becoming self fulfilled and that positive biases can be beneficial. Hell! If that's the case then, next year- you can find me on the New York Times best sellers list, hosting a show on Oprah's OWN network, and out walking my dog 5 times a day! And you- what white lies do you tell? Do tell...


my due diligence while clearing my conscience:
We're All Lying Liars: Why People Tell Lies, and Why White Lies Can Be OK - US News and World Report