You can smell a liar. Not that it means much, everyone lies. Still, it’s striking to talk with someone and smell when they lie. I’ve only told a few about this function. I don’t like using the word power or super hero. It makes me sound perfect, powerful even.
I never want to be more than a boring human. I wish I could brag I have a job where I use this function to my advantage. I am an engineer, unfortunately buildings can’t lie. Even though the things people lie about are very interesting. Not the big things like lying for a promotion or to your spouse. Small things like movies you’ve watched or books you’ve read. Or even if you like someone’s hair? No one’s ever told me the truth on the small things. It made me wonder if everyones a compulsive liar or if it’s a feature of living in groups. If I was a cave woman would I detect if Grenga really picked the green berries?
Still I look at people different. Our desire to blend in, it’s so strong. These powerful men and women at the top of their skill. They make great sky scrapers, bottomless tunnels. They can make a layout for optimal foot paths at a college or even a bridge that can hold insane weights. And they lie! They lie about having been to the new restaurant in town, even if they fed their dogs that morning. I have my theories of course. I think we don’t like feeling out of our tribe so we lie about our lives to fit in. I’m no different, I try not to, of course. But I’ll find myself lying about a gym I’d never join. Just to make the person who actually goes to it have an opening to invite me. Not that I’ll accept of course, I have a treadmill at home. Odd, right? Why didn’t I just let her talk about her gym? Why didn’t I just change the subject to something less straining and awkward? What did I gain in that? I don’t even like Brenda. Why am I asking for her approval?
I guess I’ll never get an answer, which is fine, I guess.