Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Can You Handle The Truth ? Part II

truth

                                                                          


                                                                   


Last week  Jamie Ayres  hosted a blogfest based on the 2 Truths and a Lie game. Now that her book 18 TRUTHS is on sale today, we are finally allowed to come clean. Jamie has generously offered to donate all of the proceeds from today's sales to charity. To find out more about 18 TRUTHS  go HERE.  The following is a condensed version of my three choices:

1) In order to help me become more graceful, and aware of which occasions called for white gloves, my mom enrolled me in the Wendy Ward Charm School, when I was only four.

2) When I was seventeen, I dated a twenty seven year old waiter. Not only did my parents approve, but my dad helped me give him directions to our house.

3) While getting fitted for orthotics for my plantar fasciitis, I was asked to become a foot model for an orthopedic shoe company. Though  I was hired for my high arches, the division I worked for fell flat, and my geriatric foot modeling career ended abruptly.

The majority voted for #2 as the lie. The next most popular choice was #3. Oddly enough, no one doubted that the blogger who never resists the opportunity to write about embarrassing bodily functions was a charm school graduate.

As for #3, I did have plantar fasciitis, and I still wear orthotics, but I was never asked to model orthopedic shoes. Gosh, it feels good to get that off my chest! Congratulations to the eight great detectives who sniffed out the lie: Yvonne Stephenson,   Sherry Ellis,  Rum-Punch Drunk,  Susan Fleet Swiderski,  Robin @ Your Daily Dose,  Title By Jaq,  A Beer For The Shower,  and of course Jamie Ayres. Be sure to visit these amazing super sleuths.

Thanks to Jamie for hosting this delightfully deceptive blogfest, and thanks to everyone who played along. It was interesting to learn about your powers of deductive reasoning. 

Since most of you thought that #2 was the lie, I thought that I should further explain why my parents didn't object when I was casually dating someone ten years my senior, during my junior year in high school. For the record, he was a complete gentleman, and we would just get together on occasion to see a movie or listen to music. As outrageous as it may seem, my mom had a similar experience.

When my mom was fourteen, she went to visit her aunt in Michigan City. Her aunt decided to fix her up with her landlady's son. The plan was to go on a double date. It was a lovely summer evening, so the foursome went to a drive-in movie in his convertible.

While my mom had done some babysitting to earn some spending money, she didn't have a lot in common with her date, who was a college professor. She had even less in common with his married friends. Though they were at the drive-in in his convertible, my mom didn't have to worry about him getting fresh because she recalled, "He was allergic to the night air, and kept sneezing into his handkerchief."

Later when my mom saw her aunt, she didn't say a word. Neither one of them ever spoke of the incident again. Though my mom's adventure could have turned into a date with danger, at least the college professor was thoughtful enough to use protection. A properly placed handkerchief is definitely something to sneeze at.



42 comments:

  1. Loved your little lie. Loved your dating story. But I think back in the day, I don't think parents had a problem with their daughters dating older men.

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  2. I was torn between two and three..settled on two...should have know better lol.

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  3. Shelly - I guess it depended on the people involved. I was very innocent, and my parents really trusted me. I was very lucky that nothing bad happened. Thanks so much Shelly!

    Delores - You were very close. It does sound pretty far fetched, especially since my parents wouldn't even let me drive more than a couple miles away from my house at the time! Thanks for playing Delores!

    Julie

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  4. I can see why your mom was understanding then. Too bad you weren't asked to model shoes though.

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  5. All three were good stories and it was hard to choose. My daughter is married to a man ten years older than her. She started dating him when she was 19 and I had no say in the matter. It worked out fine and they have been married 15 years now and have given me three of the most wonderful granddaughters. I wonder how he will feel when his daughters start to date though.

    Did the professor pay the child's price for your mom's ticket?

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  6. I was wrong guessing #2, but I still think that you should have been a model. I liked the idea of sneezing into the handkerchief as "using protection". This was definitely an interesting blog hop, thanks to Jamie.

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  7. Aha. I got it right! Woohoo!!!!

    Yeah, why did no one question that your mom sent you to Charm School? Maybe it's because we've read stories about your mom... hahahahaha.

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  8. Alex - A girl can still dream!

    Arleen - My husband is eleven years older, and he has much more energy than I do. I'm glad that it also worked out for your daughter, and your beautiful granddaughters! Great line about the child's ticket! Thanks Arleen!

    Fanny - On the news last night, doctors reported that people who sneezed into a Kleenex spread less germs than those who sneezed on their elbows. An old fashioned handkerchief is a much better alternative. Thanks Fanny, but I was 5'8" at my full height, and I wear anywhere from a 9-10 size shoe. So though I do have high arches, my feet are too big. Though I shouldn't rule out men's orthopedic shoes!

    Robin - My mom has provided me with a lot of my best material! Thanks Robin, and congrats on being a human lie detector!

    Julie


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  9. What a surprise. You fooled a lot of people. Good job!

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  10. Yay! Haha i suspected you were trying to fool us when you linked it to the charm school fact too ;)

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  11. Yvonne - But I couldn't fool you! Thanks for playing, and being a true champion!

    sjp - I'm impressed that you solved the mystery, especially since we hadn't met before. Glad this blogfest brought us together!

    Julie

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  12. Loved your short stories. You and I must be of the same age group because I remember Charm Schools too. I never got sent to one, but know people who went. Interesting post.

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  13. Kristina - I just came from your blog, and can't believe what a true "cowgirl" you were! Thank you, and I'm glad we got to know each other via the fest!

    Mary - Wendy Ward took students anywhere in age from 4-19. I was in with the other pre-schoolers. Thanks Mary!

    Julie

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  14. Oh, what fun! So far you're only the second person I've come across where I guessed correctly. Loved your stories, and I'll be back to visit your blog as a new fan :-)

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    1. Jamie - That makes you two ahead of me so far! Thanks for hosting this fabulous blogfest, and for following me! All the best with 18 TRUTHS, and I really admire you for being such a gracious teacher/author!

      Julie

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  15. Hi Julie - well you had everyone guessing with some great brief story lines - but you always do those so well ... and now here with "at least the college professor was thoughtful enough to use protection" ... a fun twist .. with the handkerchief to cover your tracks! Cheers Hilary

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  16. Looks like I got that one wrong. Great stories though. Following your lead, I posted my answers too.

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  17. What a fun blogfest! What in the world was your great aunt thinking? Besides the whole inappropriateness thing, your poor mom must have felt way out of her league. Any chance it was a misguided compliment? Do you think her aunt thought she was way mature beyond her years?

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  18. Oh dang, I so wanted you to be a shoe model! :D Loved your stories and it was fun now to learn more about #2.

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  19. Hilary - Thanks so much Hilary! I tried to put a positive spin on the professor incident, and I really hope that handkerchiefs make a huge comeback.

    Rhonda - So far I've missed them all. I have a feeling that I guessed wrong on yours too. I'll head over soon to check.

    Kim - My guess is that he was the only other "young person" that my great aunt could find near her summer home. I'm sure that she heard wonderful things about him from her landlady, and little things like age and profession never entered into the conversation. Like me, when my mom was 14, she looked 20, so she didn't seem as out of place as she felt.

    Elsie - Thank you, and I feel the same way about your 2 Truths and a Lie!

    Julie - I'm sorry I let you down. Maybe if my mom had bound my feet at an early age, I would've stood a chance. Thanks Julie, and I hope we can still be friends!

    Julie

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  20. Good job, Julie! You fooled me. Perhaps I didn't question charm school because I was in ballet class at age three.

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  21. Yay! I'm a super sleuth! This was a fun game. I'm glad you played!

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  22. I remember what I guessed this one. Awww, I'm not a super sleuth. Oh well.

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  23. Carol - I also took ballet at a very early age. It didn't help. Hope you have better memories than I did. Thanks Carol!

    Sherry - Congratulations on being a true detective! I enjoyed playing, and it was fun catching up with you again!

    Patricia - Neither am I, but most of the entrees were pretty tricky. Too bad we couldn't take a practice test!

    Julie

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  24. Hey Julie,

    I can see why your mum was okay with you dating some dude ten years older than you. You had fun with this. And no, I wont go on a rant about another blog fest, or blog hop, or...

    Gary :)

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    1. Gary - There were definitely perks for looking older when I was a teenager. Now, not so much. Thanks for not ranting and raving about the fest...ivities!

      Julie

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  25. I really enjoyed that game Julie, and it was a hard one to guess too. If only I could sniff out every lie, life would be much easier. Thanks for the link too, I appreciate it.

    You should play this game again another time, it gets you thinking.

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  26. Your mom's story is sweet, though I can't help but think "What a waste of a convertible at a drive-in." Good use of tissue, nonetheless.

    I knew you'd fool me, Julie. At least I'm in good company.

    Be well.

    xoRobyn

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  27. Rum-Punch Drunk - Congrats on being a super sleuth! It would probably get boring after a while if you could always tell when people were lying, and It would be hard to distinguish between fibs and lies. This game does keep you on your toes. Thanks RPD!

    Robyn - Sadly, many young people have never heard about drive-ins, or handkerchiefs! Thanks Robyn!

    Julie

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  28. I was in Charm School.
    I always wondered why the other boys beat me up.

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  29. Charm School Grad. Love it.

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  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. Al - They were just jealous that you could out pivot and curtsy them!

      Ducks Mahal - Thanks, and it's nice to meet you!

      Julie

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  31. Haha, Love it, especially the non-freish college professor! I can't imagine going to Charm School!

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    1. Val - My mom received quite a shock when she met her blind date! Oh, and my parents definitely didn't get their money's worth with charm school! Thanks Val!

      Julie

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  32. Wow, you actually went to charm school. That is awesome!

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  33. Well, I would have had the wrong guess since the charm school one seemed so outlandish. It sounds like something from the early 20th century or maybe even the 19th century.

    Lee
    An A to Z Co-Host
    Tossing It Out

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  34. Shell - Well, I was 4, but at least it gave me a little something to write about. Thanks Shell!

    Lee - I worked my pinkies to the bone, and I didn't even get a graduation picture out of it! Yes, the concept was very old fashioned, but some of the older girls got to dress up in mini skirts, and go-go boots, so it was very fashion forward.

    Julie

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  35. I do apologize for my misreading last week. You just had to go to charm school!

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    1. JJ - There's nothing to apologize for. I tried to make them all sound as ridiculous as possible. You were very close though. But you did know that the whole charm school thing was silly enough to be true!

      Julie

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