Pants on fire

I was walking on Al Wahda Street along with a friend when his phone buzzed. 

“I am in a meeting. Call later,” he replied abruptly. 

Surprised, I asked why he should utter a lie unnecessarily. 

“The woman who called is a pest. She will nag me for half an hour,” he replied and moved off. 

That kept me wondering why people indulge in falsehood. 

My father repeatedly warned me never to tell a lie. It is not easy though. After his advice, I decided never to lie and once confessed to him that I got the lowest marks in my class. The instant reaction was a tight slap in my face. 

Well, telling the truth was worth it though. My dad regretted his action that same day and cajoled me with ice-cream and mangoes. 

I have stuck to the dictum and never ever try to tell a lie. 

What is amazing is the way politicians and celebrities get away with lies.  

Remember George W. Bush who insisted that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and launched a war that claimed thousands of innocent lives?

Who would have dreamt of a cycle of lies by Lance Armstrong, who had won the Tour de France seven times before being disqualified and banned from competitive cycling for doping offences?

The list of liars is huge. 

Funnily, it seems being a liar was easier before Google.

During my college days, I had a friend who reeled out wrong statistics on any subject at the drop of a hat. Now I can just press a few keys and Google will search and expose such people instantly.