me exaggerate; never

me exaggerate; never

fiction
edward w pritchard


note: out of love and respect the names have been used to honor those gone before us

Someone has accused author of exaggerating concerning some fine Cuban cigars. Me exaggerate; never. Poetic license maybe, bluff at Poker and refuse to show the hole cards of course, lie as relatively customary yes, but never to exaggerate.

My career as a small time story teller began at age four. It began as follows.

My dad and his older sister were about the two smartest children growing up back in the 1920's down in the coal field down Morgantown, West Virginia. My Dad's sister grew up to be one of the first school principals down WVA way. Out of love for her brother my Aunt Megan the Principal took it on her self to learn me some manners and how to properly behave at a young age.

Family lore says when I was four when I told my Aunt Megan the following story:

Ed Jr, [ me] was forbidden by his Father to enter the fenced in pasture behind the farm they rented because Ed Sr.new from experience cows and bulls are dangerous. Naturally the boy ventures into the pasture and narrowly escapes the bull. This part of the story is true. However telling the story later to my Aunt Megan to enhance the story I said at the same time the bull was chasing me as a four year old boy from the sky came lightening bolts which chased me one at a time close behind until I got through the fence. She liked to retell that story of mine over and over and on a small scale I became one of her stock characters when she talked about her students and boys in general.

My aunt who was one of the smartest people I knew later developed Alzheimer's decease the last ten years of her life and when I last braved the icy mountain roads of WVA in Winter to see her she was laying thin and alone on a bed with no blanket. Patiently I told the head RN that I had once worked in a nursing home and my Aunt was special to me and could she please give the ex school principal a blanket. Her only son, my Cousin  the black belt, one of the toughest guys I know told me later he could only see his Mom as she was the last ten years of her life when he was drunk. And that's the hard truth..