Who are you trying to fool?

“What do you do when someone is telling you a fib and you know it too?” a friend asked this profound question.

“You blow off the lid,” I smirked.

“What do you do when blowing off the lid may result in that person thinking that you are spying on him?” came the next question.

“Well…” I hate these conversations. They often challenge you to think.

“Well what?” she asked tapping her fingers on the table.

“It depends man…” I said in bored voice, “If the fib is big enough to confront someone with, I say you do it… if it’s just a fiblet, let it go.”

No response. 10 sec, 15, 20, 30, 45, 1 minute.

“What??” I asked, as the silence had stretched too long.

“Some two days ago, in the morning I called M in his office. You know the wifely thing to do… Tusi pahuch gaye ji?” she mimicked Farida Jalal’s DDLJ dialog.

“You call him everyday?” I asked, slightly amused.

“Of course not! Sunday night he told me he had an important meeting to attend at work and he had to reach office early. However, by the time I got ready for work, the man was still sleeping. I woke him and left. The call was just to know if he had reached.” She finished.

“That’s it?” I asked.

“Okay… I gave him a lecture before I left on how he should learn to be more organized and punctual and all that…” she conceded.

“And?” is this what life becomes after marriage?

“I couldn’t get through to his cell, so I called up his office. The receptionist said he hadn’t reached. So I tried his cell again exactly a minute later. This time I connected and he answered. When I asked him where he was he said he was already at work and busy. I could hear the slight noise of traffic. Even AC cars are not that sound proof.” She finished.

“Okay so he hadn’t reached office… but fibbed to stop you from giving him another lecture. What’s the big deal?” I asked.

“Does he think I am dumb?” she asked.

“Look if you wanted to know the truth you should have asked him something like, Why haven’t you reached yet? That would have eliminated the chance of him from telling you a fib.” I said.

“Oh then he would have known I called his office!” she said irritated. “You don’t know these guys!”

“Aren’t you making a mountain of a mole hill?” I asked tentatively.

“This is not the only time. He fibs on and off just to stop me from pestering him,” she added.
“So stop pestering him!” I suggested.

“You think I do that for my own good? You think I was getting late for that all-important meeting?” she asked. “I do it for his own good… why can’t he understand that?”

“Well… I don’t have an answer for that… but the old saying, You can fool everyone, but you can’t fool yourself usually works!” I continued. “It happens with all of us doesn’t it? We often fib to get out of complicated arguments. The point still remains that if you can’t fool yourself.”

“Hmmmm…” she conceded.

“See… telling you he has reached office, he has managed to silence your pestering. But does that mean he will get away with reaching late? Of course not. So he knows the situation, and he can face the consequences. Why are you taking tension? M is a big boy… he can take the consequences.” I smiled. “Next time, don’t ask…” I suggested.

“Yes… I guess that would be for the best. It will save some antacid intakes for me!” she laughed.

Yes sir, I have completed four laps…
Mom, I have finished studying for the test…
Of course, I have exercised today…
I replied to your sms, how come you didn’t get it?

We all use these fibs, err… excuses to get out of more questions, accusations, lectures and so on. Who are we trying to fool? That almost always remains a question…