**Diary Entry**
«What on earth are you doing?» asked Emily, watching as her husband tucked a note with his number under the windscreen wiper of the car hed just backed into.
«Leaving my details so they can call me. I have to cover the damage,» he replied calmly.
«Why bother? Its pitch black, no one saw,» she hissed, glancing around. «This isnt even our neighbourhoodlets just drive off.»
«Thats not right. How would you feel if someone hit us and drove away?»
«Look at this car! Its worth more than our flat. That dents nothing to them!»
«I cant just walk away, Emily. I wouldnt feel right.»
They climbed back into their own car, and James carefully pulled out of the estate.
«How are we supposed to pay for repairs? Weve barely got two pennies to rub together, and most of thats going on the new flat,» Emily pressed.
«My new jobs decentIll pay it off within a year. We wont even notice,» he reassured her, following the sat-navs route.
«You havent even started yet, and youre already in debt,» she muttered, staring out at unfamiliar houses. «I told you this honesty of yours would backfire. Well end up on the street at this rate. You cant afford to be like this!»
James stayed silent.
Half an hour later, as sunlight crept over the rooftops, they arrived at the rental flat where the landlord waited.
«Just the two of you, yes?» asked the sharply dressed man once theyd inspected the place. Seated at the kitchen table, he began drafting the lease.
«And a cat,» James added. Emily rolled her eyes.
«A cat?» The landlord frowned. «Your wife didnt mention a cat.»
Emily wanted the ground to swallow her, mortified by her husbands honesty.
«I wouldnt have rented to you if Id known,» the man said, setting down his pen.
He hesitated, making the young couple sweat, then relented.
«Fine. You seem decent, and youve come all this way. Tell you whatIll add an extra hundred a month for potential pet-related incidents, and you can move in.»
«I dont think» Emily started.
«Well take it,» James cut in. «Sorry we didnt mention it sooner.»
«Right then, done,» the landlord smiled, finishing the paperwork.
***
«Why did you tell him about the cat? I left it in the car on purpose!» Emily rounded on James once the landlord left.
«Lying by omission isnt right,» he protested, unpacking their things.
«Oh, but paying an extra twelve hundred a year is?» She flung clothes into drawers. «I love that youre honest, but there have to be limits!»
«At least weve got the flat. Dont worryIll earn it back at the new job.»
«Assuming you get it. With your scruples, no ones making you regional manager. They want smooth talkers who can spin a yarn, not a bloke whod overpay a coffee machine for charging him extra by mistake.»
«You think I wont get it?» James looked stricken, misplacing his mug so it shattered on the tiled floor.
«We could hide that under a rug and say nothing. But youd rather pay to fix it, wouldnt you?» Emily shot back.
James nodded guiltily.
«You wont get the job,» she said flatly.
«What do I do, then?» He slumped onto a stool, defeated.
This job was why theyd uprooted their livestheir chance to save for a mortgage and start a family.
«Show them you can bend when you have to. Learn to tell a white lie. Everyone does it.»
James nodded grimly. He knew people took advantage of his honesty. Maybe it was time to change. The interview would be his test.
***
At the interview, James was flawless. His qualifications and references spoke for themselves. The director nodded approvingly after every answer. The job was his.
«One last question,» the director said, suddenly stern. «Are you willing to act in the companys interesteven if it means bending the truth with a client?»
«Pardon?» James blinked.
«Can you spin a tale? Do whats necessary for profit?»
James stomach twisted. He wanted to refuse, but Emilys words echoed. He forced confidence.
«Absolutely. No problem at all.»
«Youre not what were looking for. Goodbye.»
James stammered, desperate. «II misunderstood! Id never lie!»
«More lies? No, thank you.»
The world crumbled. Hed failed.
***
«Got the job,» James lied when Emily called.
If he was spinning tales, why stop now? Hed pretend to work while job-hunting. Maybe something would turn up.
Then his phone rangan unknown number.
«About the car you hit. Come sort it.»
James stomach dropped. Hed forgotten the mornings mishap. There went their savings.
At the address, he wobbled toward the dented car and called the owner.
Five minutes later, the director from his interview stepped out.
«You again!» The man chuckled. «Whyd you hit my wifes car?»
«I didnt mean»
«More fibs?»
«No. Ill pay for it.»
«With what? Youre unemployed.»
«Ill manage.»
«Dont worryIll deduct it from your wages.»
«Mywhat?»
«You asked for a second chance. Consider it given. We need honest people. But why lie earlier?»
«Everyone does it,» James muttered.
«Only if it helps without hurting others. We do that here.»
«Really?»
«Tell you laterif you take the job.»
The director winked. Hed never actually charge Jamesthe insurance covered it. But that was a lesson for another day.
**Lesson learned: Honesty has its place, but so does discretion. The truth matters, but so does knowing when to bend it.**
