Fact vs, Folklore -

The older we get, the better we were! Many times if five people witnessed the same event there could be as many as five different versions of what happened and if it happened at church at least one of them would have brought treats, and that's before the improvement of time. I think it’s natural that we don’t remember all the details of our lives and occasionally those missing gaps are filled with spectacular details. We have sat around telling stories so many times that once in a while someone adds a little twist or detail that never happened. In most cases these details aren’t added on purpose but just because we forget many of the facts and inadvertently they are filled in with our best recollections. In my case the same member of the family usually adds these changes. I really believe it' how he remembers what took place. There have been occasions where he has combined two stories together making one amazing event. Then there’s the times people think they remember something that just isn’t true. A great example of this is the time my oldest brothers family was going to his wife’s family reunion, each family was asked to tell a story from their childhood. His wife was having a hard time thinking of a good story, so someone suggested that they make one up. As they drove to their location the story evolved. When it was her turn, she got up and told about the time the cat got stuck in the tree in the front yard and how the local volunteer fire department came to the rescue, fire engine and all. As she presented her concoction and filled in the detail – her younger sister stated: “I remember that.” That was hard to do when it had never happened. I once had a co-worker that always had a greater story than the one just told. We use to make up stories to see if he would take the bait and one-up the teller with a whooper of his own. He had been recruited by USC, could shingle a house with hammer in both hands and had managed a disco while in high school. Years later, after I had moved to another state, my wife and I were watching the local news when they were doing a story about aids in the state prison system. They interviewed a few inmates about their thoughts, there was my co-worker giving his option. It’s probably good that we don’t remember all the detail of what has happened to us. I wish I could forget the time a wet my paints at recess – I was having way to much fun to worry about going to the restroom. I’ve tried to have as many people as possible to read my stories to see if they are the way they remember them. There has been very little difference – except the brother that thinks they all happened to him. He has some great stories of his own, leave mine alone. We have a lot of stories together and many of my stories happened because he and his friends had done something we thought sounded fun and wanted to give it a try. This one-upmanship isn’t the same as my co-workers, but we did try to improve the event just because it was a great idea. This is the brother that taught me how to have “Fun with fishing Line,” another story. As a matter of fact, someone else made up most of our pranks. Who knows it could have been Eve that first short-sheeted Adams bed, if so I’m sure Cain took credit. Now I’m not insinuating that whom take credit is a bad person – just that it’s hard to remember what led up to a spontaneous or even choreographed act of torment on a family member or friend. The point is that it really doesn’t matter all that much about the little facts or details or who deserves credit. As a matter of fact we should share credit as much as possible, if it works out the other person feels pretty cool, if not we have someone else to take the heat.