...recently and came across an expression I had never heard before. I thought it was funny, amusing in an oxymoron'ish sort of way. You know, things like: jumbo shrimp, random order, pretty ugly, a little bit big. A short phrase that combines two normally contradictory terms, as in clearly misunderstood.
The one I heard (actually on a talking book) that stuck in my head was: plausible liar. It was used more than once in the book, which caused it to really make a lasting impression. Making me think of a roommate from my short stay in college housing. She was from the Big City, and pretty much an alien species to this little bumpkin. Girl from the sticks who only went to Atlanta once a year, and that was a Big Deal. I was in complete awe, until I wasn't.
This girl was probably more towards the compulsive end of the dishonesty scale. My guess is she had been at it so long, building defensive responses in advance when she would be questioned about behavior in her high school years, she had become an expert. I can envision her coming in very late after her curfew, possibly under the influence of underage alcohol consumption. Knowing her parents would be giving her the Third Degree with questions about who, where, why. Practicing her story long before getting in the door.
Sadly, she was no 'plausible liar', but hilarious nonetheless. Any number of times she would come in late, still underage drinking, and be confronted about behavior. Attempt to explain, justify, waffle. /Forever feeling the need to embellish the facts. Ending up responding when the truth was revealed, that her halfhearted attempt at covering up ' but it sounded like a good idea'. I wonder if she is still practicing deceit? And still getting caught when her face would reveal her lack of skill with prevarication?
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