Eyes-for-Lies Child
Since I had my epiphany back in October, I have been re-examining my life. Little bits and pieces are now making a lot more sense. I am understanding so much more about myself,like why I am a great negotiator. Suddenly I understand how come I have been able to settle large legal battles without ever going to court, and without having to hire my own attorney. These are the perks!!
In reflecting back to my childhood, I got a really good laugh. My favorite card game? It was Lie. I loved that game and if you were a childhood friend of mine, I can guarantee you played it with me, over and over again.
I didn't even remember how to play the game upon reflection so I looked it up on the web. I guess it is officially called "Lie Detector". I never knew that. Here are the instructions if you have interest. I wish I knew who taught me this game.
In any case, my best friend in fourth grade moved away to Pennsylvania, and being that we were good friends, we kept in touch. Low and behold, somehow or another, I got an invitation to fly out to visit them over the summer. The year was 1977. Star Wars was just opening in theaters. I was 9 years old.
One evening during the visit, I managed to convince my hosts, very religious baptists who lived a very strict life by the book, that the perfect game that evening would be Lie. I can only imagine their horror! Back then, of course, I was clueless. Thankfully, they knew I wasn't a religiously-raised child, and still accepted me, corruption and all.
We sat down at their modern danish-style wood dining room table which was long and large to accommodate their family of five. I explained the game to the my friend's Dad who was joining us. Her mom was off doing chores. Three of the four walls of the dining room were solid glass, and displayed a stunning wooded view beyond. We were totally secluded. It was pure heaven to me! I loved to travel (even alone at age 9), loved the outdoors and nature, loved my friend and I was going to play Lie. It couldn't get any better!
Once the game started, nightfall arrived. Since this game came really easy to me and these kids were horrible liars, I actually got a little bored, and it was during this boredum that I realized that the glass walls made for great mirrors.
I could actually see everyone's hand of cards reflecting in the glass, so when their turn came and they lied, I could call them on their bluff 100% of the time. In the game, when it is your turn, you play your cards face down, and declare what they are as you place them on the deck. You have to go in a sequence. If you don't have the correct cards, you can lie, or you can draw and pass. If you are caught in lie, you pick up the cards below. The first one to play all his cards is the winner.
Now with my discovery, I didn't have to read faces anymore!!! I could use the mirror and be absolutely "perfect" at detecting lies. I knew then I was good but now I could be flawless! I was so excited!!!
I sat there, and at first, randomly applying my magic because I didn't want it to be obvious. Then as the game went on, I applied my magic 100% of the time. My target and hardest to read of course was my friend's dad. When I started nailing him, 100% of the time, he got wide-eyed. I remember him staring over at me in disbelief. I'm sure he was thinking "What the heck is up with this little nine-year-old kid?" At first, he didn't know what to think. You could just see pure disbelief. He'd smile and then his smile would drain away from his face. His wheels were spinning.
I had really stumped them all -- i n a b i g w a y. So bad, that my friend who wasn't in on the joke stormed off to bed quitting out of frustration. She was sick of picking up all the cards (who wouldn't be?). This wasn't the first time I had won, but it was the first time I was doing it so swiftly.
My friends father was totally baffled. I still remember his face as he stood up after the game ended, and I declared victory again in giddy joy. He started seriously questioning me. He just couldn't figure me out. He was a well-recognized engineer at a well-known fortune 500 company, and this 9-year-old child totally stumped him (grin, grin).
I remember being all giddy and laughing like a fool. Then as he stared me down in total disbelief, I got serious and tried to claim magical powers, but no one at the table was buying it yet they couldn't come up with a logical explanation for how I had been so accurate.
I'll never forget the look on my friend's dad's face as long as I live.
I majorly disrupted this evening affair. Mystery was in the air.
With incredible pressure from my girlfriends father (hard puzzled looks, and refusing to accept my magical responses), I finally broke down and confess to my sins. I didn't want to, but the intrigue was so intense, I felt I had no other option. It was clear answers were required.
If only you could have seen the shock on their faces! Remember, these were strict Christians, whose children were raised with a paddle, and weren't allowed to talk back. They lived in fear of the paddle, and here I come with my silly game!
I knew no such boundaries as a child. I was allowed to talk back within reason and express myself because my mom believed it taught me to think for myself. Oh boy, did it! How embarrassed she would have been if she were there that night!
I still wonder what the parents must have thought about me at the time. I wasn't a good influence as I taught their children how to cheat playing an innocent card game called "Lie".
I can only imagine they were happy to send me back home in a few days -- thankful I wasn't going to influence their soon-approaching adolescent children! They must have felt complete horror though they did laugh at my clever antics! Thankfully. They were good people!
It's one of my favorite memories from childhood. This family really welcomed me with open arms when I was frequently rejected as an odd child. I will always have a soft-spot in my heart for them.
In reflecting back to my childhood, I got a really good laugh. My favorite card game? It was Lie. I loved that game and if you were a childhood friend of mine, I can guarantee you played it with me, over and over again.
I didn't even remember how to play the game upon reflection so I looked it up on the web. I guess it is officially called "Lie Detector". I never knew that. Here are the instructions if you have interest. I wish I knew who taught me this game.
In any case, my best friend in fourth grade moved away to Pennsylvania, and being that we were good friends, we kept in touch. Low and behold, somehow or another, I got an invitation to fly out to visit them over the summer. The year was 1977. Star Wars was just opening in theaters. I was 9 years old.
One evening during the visit, I managed to convince my hosts, very religious baptists who lived a very strict life by the book, that the perfect game that evening would be Lie. I can only imagine their horror! Back then, of course, I was clueless. Thankfully, they knew I wasn't a religiously-raised child, and still accepted me, corruption and all.
We sat down at their modern danish-style wood dining room table which was long and large to accommodate their family of five. I explained the game to the my friend's Dad who was joining us. Her mom was off doing chores. Three of the four walls of the dining room were solid glass, and displayed a stunning wooded view beyond. We were totally secluded. It was pure heaven to me! I loved to travel (even alone at age 9), loved the outdoors and nature, loved my friend and I was going to play Lie. It couldn't get any better!
Once the game started, nightfall arrived. Since this game came really easy to me and these kids were horrible liars, I actually got a little bored, and it was during this boredum that I realized that the glass walls made for great mirrors.
I could actually see everyone's hand of cards reflecting in the glass, so when their turn came and they lied, I could call them on their bluff 100% of the time. In the game, when it is your turn, you play your cards face down, and declare what they are as you place them on the deck. You have to go in a sequence. If you don't have the correct cards, you can lie, or you can draw and pass. If you are caught in lie, you pick up the cards below. The first one to play all his cards is the winner.
Now with my discovery, I didn't have to read faces anymore!!! I could use the mirror and be absolutely "perfect" at detecting lies. I knew then I was good but now I could be flawless! I was so excited!!!
I sat there, and at first, randomly applying my magic because I didn't want it to be obvious. Then as the game went on, I applied my magic 100% of the time. My target and hardest to read of course was my friend's dad. When I started nailing him, 100% of the time, he got wide-eyed. I remember him staring over at me in disbelief. I'm sure he was thinking "What the heck is up with this little nine-year-old kid?" At first, he didn't know what to think. You could just see pure disbelief. He'd smile and then his smile would drain away from his face. His wheels were spinning.
I had really stumped them all -- i n a b i g w a y. So bad, that my friend who wasn't in on the joke stormed off to bed quitting out of frustration. She was sick of picking up all the cards (who wouldn't be?). This wasn't the first time I had won, but it was the first time I was doing it so swiftly.
My friends father was totally baffled. I still remember his face as he stood up after the game ended, and I declared victory again in giddy joy. He started seriously questioning me. He just couldn't figure me out. He was a well-recognized engineer at a well-known fortune 500 company, and this 9-year-old child totally stumped him (grin, grin).
I remember being all giddy and laughing like a fool. Then as he stared me down in total disbelief, I got serious and tried to claim magical powers, but no one at the table was buying it yet they couldn't come up with a logical explanation for how I had been so accurate.
I'll never forget the look on my friend's dad's face as long as I live.
I majorly disrupted this evening affair. Mystery was in the air.
With incredible pressure from my girlfriends father (hard puzzled looks, and refusing to accept my magical responses), I finally broke down and confess to my sins. I didn't want to, but the intrigue was so intense, I felt I had no other option. It was clear answers were required.
If only you could have seen the shock on their faces! Remember, these were strict Christians, whose children were raised with a paddle, and weren't allowed to talk back. They lived in fear of the paddle, and here I come with my silly game!
I knew no such boundaries as a child. I was allowed to talk back within reason and express myself because my mom believed it taught me to think for myself. Oh boy, did it! How embarrassed she would have been if she were there that night!
I still wonder what the parents must have thought about me at the time. I wasn't a good influence as I taught their children how to cheat playing an innocent card game called "Lie".
I can only imagine they were happy to send me back home in a few days -- thankful I wasn't going to influence their soon-approaching adolescent children! They must have felt complete horror though they did laugh at my clever antics! Thankfully. They were good people!
It's one of my favorite memories from childhood. This family really welcomed me with open arms when I was frequently rejected as an odd child. I will always have a soft-spot in my heart for them.
Labels: About Me, Eyes for Lies Childhood
