I’m a natural born liar.

Since the day I could speak, I don’t remember a time where telling something other than the truth seemed anything other than normal. I daren’t blame my parents, who are scrupulously honest, so there’s the genes and upbringing theory thrown out of the window.

I believe there some traits that are just Individual, just You.

My time in high school was spent partly being known as the King of Lies. I was kinda proud of that at the time. I could invent an excuse in a sec, perfectly plausible and utterly irrefutable. It helped that I had a good rep among my peers and my elders.

No one expects a Good Boy to fib.

However, with the wisdom of years on my side now, I realise not a single one of them ever came to any good. Lies, if they don’t kill or hurt you straightaway, they certainly wear you out in the long run. Every lie I told never came to a good end. All except one.

The year was 1997, sometime in July, unless I’m very much mistaken, in which case, it wasn’t. Suffice to say, I’d just discovered the glory of unlimited Internet access in my university (barely enrolled but a couple of days prior) and hit the chatrooms with relish.

Pretty soon I tried nearly every single trick in the book and was still bored. Finally I succumbed to sexual masquerading, a wolf in a schoolgirl’s clothing, much to unsuspecting surfing females. (Come to think of it, I only have their word that they were female. For all I know, they were as authentic as I was.)

One particular girl caught my eye, chatting under the rather tacky nick of ‘siber’. I can’t remember what my nick was, but I can trust it was up to no good. To cut the long story short, we really got it on, till the point I felt obliged to reveal my actual gender.

At that time I think Awui (my term of endearment for her) was slightly pissed but we got on fine after. Never ended up as a romantic interest, but perhaps something better. Safer leastways. Being four years younger than me, she wasn’t even legal yet at that time!

Instead, I kinda look upon Awui as a lil’ sister. Really. My one chance to feel grown-up, act adult and be a big brother, a guardian in a cheat’s clothing. A poor tale perhaps but one that ended decently.

Awui, you were my best deceit.

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Copyright © 2003 Kenny Mah Ying Fye.