The Government Lake by James Tate

Author:James Tate
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2019-05-28T16:00:00+00:00

The Liar

Earl and I were sitting around at my house one night when he said to

me, “You know that story that’s been going around about me shooting a

deer through the heart with my bow and arrow? Well, it isn’t true, I

missed him altogether. I just made that up. Can you believe that?”

“I guess so,” I said. “And that four-pound bass I caught up at Lake Wyola

was totally fake. I never even caught a fish that day,” he said. “You

don’t have to be telling me all this. I still love you,” I said. “And that

300-point bowling game I said I bowled last Christmas was more like 100,

can you believe that? I lied just to make it more exciting,” he said.

“People do things like that all the time,” I said. “I know, but I’m a chronic

liar,” he said. “You’re just like everybody else. Don’t worry about it,”

I said. “But I do. The truth should matter. We should stand for something real,”

he said. “Stop worrying about it. Nobody cares. You make life exciting, that’s

all that matters,” I said. “Okay, if you say so, but I’m going to try to be

better,” he said. I got up and fixed us a drink. Earl leaned back and

seemed to be enjoying himself now. “You’re a great guy, you know that,

Jethro. I can relax around you, be myself,” he said. “Thank you, Earl.

That’s what friends should do for one another,” I said. “Yes, sir, no putting on,

no tall tales, just relaxing and being yourself.” We sat there in silence

for a while, sipping our drinks. “Say, have you ever climbed Mount Greylock?”

he said. “No, I haven’t,” I said. “Well, I have. It was a bitch, nearly killed

myself,” he said. “Why was that?” I said. “The ledge was so steep, nearly

straight down. If you slipped an inch it was straight down and you’d fall,”

he said. “How did you make it?” I said. “I didn’t, I fell straight down

and killed myself,” he said. “That’s a shame,” I said. “You’re telling me,”

he said.

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