I come from a long line of very good liars.
Sir Christopher Hatton, one of Elizabeth the First’s favorite consorts, put on such a convincing show of financial abundance that, upon his death, the royal court was stunned to learn he was £40,000 in debt (approximately ten quadzillion dollars in today’s money), much of which was owed directly to the queen herself.
My maternal great-great grandfather (who shall remain nameless) swindled the United States government out of money and land by claiming he was 1/16th Cherokee and forging the documents necessary to prove it.
My dad, Dave Hatton (who is named here because he is a wonderful person), has also been known to give the truth a little bend. There are certain stories he tells about his youth — the one about the catamaran...