I told only one lie yesterday.
19 of my twenty statements in yesterday’s post were true. Well done, Grannymar! If you are amenable, your questions will be in the mail.
Here’s a run down:
- I once discussed unemployment with a Goon. TRUE. The Hub and I went to see Spike Milligan’s First Farewell Tour of South Africa in 1986 and the Hub dragged me backstage afterwards, autograph hunting. Because he took so long to persuade me, we were last in the queue. Spike was with his wife and in an expansive mood. We talked for about thirty minutes on all kinds of topics, but unemployment is the one I remember. He signed my programme with a drawing of an eye, because I told him my name was spelled, ‘Tilly with an i.’
- My second toe on each foot is longer than my big toe. TRUE. I am a freak.
- My name translated into Greek is Hyperbole. LIE. But it feels like it should be true. I’m not exaggerating when I say I’m good at exaggerating.
- Despite being only 5′ small, I had a brief modelling career in my teens. TRUE. It started at a school fashion show but the model who trained us did such a good job, she got us some work: at two nightclubs and a garden centre. I’ll rustle up some photos for you as proof.
- I have been tear-gassed. TRUE, when I was pregnant with Tory Boy (which explains a lot about Tory Boy). I was working in the centre of Joburg the day it was announced that Nelson Mandela would be released, amongst other things. There was a spontaneous outpouring of joy/excitement/fear and buildings tipped their employees out onto the streets. No one told the police we were well-behaved, and they gassed us. Fortunately, I was big and slow because of the baby so I only caught a whiff of it, being at the back of the crowd.
- My feet have grown by two sizes since I turned eighteen. TRUE. The year I was twenty; and when I was pregnant with the monster who became Spud.
- I once accidentally used the word ‘drawer’ instead of ‘draw’ in a poem and I still blush about it. TRUE, though it pains me to say it. A friend pointed it out, around 1998. I’m getting warm just thinking about it.
- I used to have a gun licence and a driving licence. TRUE. When I lived in South Africa I owned a gun and drove. Not looking for trouble, you understand; that was the way of life out there. I don’t drive now.
- I have an A Level in Law. TRUE. Before taking my degree, I went to college to get some study experience. I also have A Levels in English and History.
- Several years ago I discovered that I am actually two inches taller than I thought I was. Absolutely TRUE. I freaked out: you have an idea of your identity and to discover that you are not what you think you are is disorienting.
- I once cooked Christmas dinner for twenty-two people. TRUE. All relatives. By the time I dished up the last plate (mine), the first lot had finished eating.
- I am entitled to hold two passports. TRUE. I have South African citizenship as well as British.
- I have never voted Labour. TRUE. I would have done at eighteen but by the time a British election coincided with my residence in the UK, I had swung to the right.
- The world première of my one-act play, Glug, was held at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool. TRUE, though world première is stretching it a bit. I was at school. I wrote Glug. There had been a playwriting course for older pupils that had been so successful, it was decided to stage the resulting plays at the Everyman and use students to perform. Unknown to me, my drama teacher gave it to two other pupils to use as an audition piece. The man auditioning liked it so much, he included it in the evening. Three times; three interpretations.
- I once appeared on Channel 4′s now defunct Big Breakfast. TRUE. With my family, for a week. We were their last real Family of the Week (Lisa Scott-Lee from Steps and her brothers were the last FotW, but celebrities don’t count). I must blog about it someday.
- As a teenager I seriously considered joining the Young Socialists. TRUE. I was passionate about politics in my teens and went the usual left-to-right route. I met some of the other YS, however, and they were a little bit scary. I’ve never been one for violently overthrowing a government.
- A poem of mine was turned into a work of art and displayed in an art gallery. TRUE. Stockport Art Gallery ran a poetry competition; the winners had their work turned into conceptual art. Great fun! I wanted to buy the original but the gallery wouldn’t sell, so Tory Boy and the Hub arranged a facsimile. I’ll re-post the story next week.
- I once appeared in a student film despite refusing to read from the script during the audition. TRUE. My A Level English tutor was also the Media Studies tutor and he asked us to audition for parts in a student film. I was to audition for the part of The Angry Mother of an anorexic girl. I did my piece (from Arthur Miller’s A View From The Bridge) and sat to read blind from the script. I took one look and said, ‘Oh, no! I’m sorry; I can’t blaspheme.’ Andrew said he had prepared his students for over-actors, under-actors, difficult actors, drunk, high or crazy actors; but it had never occurred to him to prepare them for an actor who refused to read the script! Despite this blip, I appeared in the (non-speaking) role of The Producer.
- The Hub once phoned me during an attempted coup so that I could hear the helicopter gunships flying overhead. TRUE. He was in Zambia and Kenneth Kaunda had raised the price of maize – the staple diet – so high, there was an attempt to overthrow him. The Hub was in his hotel room and held the phone out of the window so I could hear the military firing on the people. He’s thoughtful like that.
- I once took a bomb threat call at my place of work and caused a whole shopping mall to be evacuated in what turned out to be a hoax. TRUE. I was working in the office at Woolworths Balfour Park in Joburg when the call came in. The whole mall was evacuated. It happened a lot in the Eighties in South Africa.
So now you know: you can trust me. 95% of the time.
Hop on over to Six Word Saturday and see if they have honest people there.
*
I guessed number 3, but I thought A level Law was hyperbole! So I only got one wrong.
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You did well! I will interview you anyway, for your excellent reasoning 🙂
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MY 6WS should be visible…there were initial “issues”…*LOL*. Please let me know. Thanks. I love yours, as I do all of your posts!! 🙂
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I’ll have another look 🙂
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My Goodness! You have had an exciting life!
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I told you that I had you telling the truth on almost all of it. You have had an interesting life and I’m happy that you like to share!
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You did well 🙂
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My husband’s toes are shaped like yours. Always thought it was freaky, too 🙂
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😉
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Those are some great stories to tell. An eventful life.
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It doesn’t feel eventful from this side. Ordinary, really. 🙂
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Good heavens! It all goes to prove yet again that tooth is stronger than friction … or something like that! I would have regarded the porkie pie as true and most of the others as porkie pies.
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Weird, ain’t it?
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great to know more about you!
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I’m always happy to share 🙂
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Longer second toes are a sign of genius. Congratulations
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Ron, you are clearly a man of perspicacity 🙂
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I am not surprised. I thought most of them were true. I should have said so, but was hesitant. I hate to be wrong (true).
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I believe you 😉
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I have just come in from the garden exhausted and ready to collapse in a chair, while sipping coffee (that I made myself) to gaze at the laptop screen, and simply read and comment on a few harmless blogs. What do I find??? You want me to work!
OK, in for a penny, in for a pound…I’ll answer a question or three!! Go easy on me
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Excellent! Look out for my email.
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I had such fun reading these. Would love to do this myself one day.
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You should! Though I found it hard trying to remember anything interesting about myself. Put some of the dull ones in as a sort of bluff 🙂
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And that’s the unbelievable truth….
And now you’re sending US questions?!
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If you’re up for it…?
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why not?
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Excellent!
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You life is waaaaaaaaaaaay more interesting than mine.
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You don’t have an A Level in Law? 😦
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You are more truthful than I expected, oh well, no interview then I guess I can have the consolation prize of a Malteser 😉
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Gasp!
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hmm… now taking my shoes off to more closely inspect my toes…
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I regret that I didn’t read these blogs in time to guess the number before it was revealed, but I was going to say 19 out of 20. But then I am prone to hyperbole.
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And lying… 🙂
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Tilly, you’re some colorful lady … more truth and lies … so funny.
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😉 🙂
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Great post, Tilly.
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Thanks!
You do know I don’t expect you to read each and every post you’ve missed, don’t you?
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I do. But you just kind of draw me in!
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😀
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