“Every good act is charity. A man’s true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.” ~Moliere
When my sister was in her early 20s and full of do-gooder intentions, she joined the United Way. They put their new recruits through training where you learn how to work a room and solicit donations. (Or some such thing, I’m not exactly sure since I was over my do-gooder stage and didn’t join with her.)
From what I recall from her telling of it, in the training they asked each candidate to think of how the United Way had helped them personally. They had a list of United Way functions, which presumably should have made it easy for one to make a connection.
For example, you look over the list and see that they counsel pregnant teens and you remember when you were a pregnant teen and needed someone to talk to how the United Way was there for you. Then you tell your heartfelt story to the roomful of other trainees. The instructor helps you hone the story, and wham, you are an instant United Way money making machine.
My sister sat and thought and thought as the people in the room shared their stories. She was the only one left in the room who hadn’t yet spoken, and the trainer asked her to share. She took a deep breath and told the rapt audience about how her mother, when she was recently divorced, used one of the United Way programs to help her get back on her feet. Then the United Way helped her raise her three daughters on her own, who all went on to prove their academic brilliance in a number of stunning ways. Then the United Way helped my mother found and run a successful business. All possible because of the United Way!
The room cheered.
My sister smiled inwardly because she had clearly told the best story.
There were tears in the eyes of the trainer.
It had been a good day.
A few days later my sister got a call from the trainer. They wanted her to speak to a group and tell her story. They also wanted to print the story in the next newsletter. My clever sister was indeed the star pupil. Hooray. Another United Way success story.
Instead of basking in her success at being the chosen trainee, my sister was mortified. Why, you ask? Because … she’d made up the whole story. Made. It. Up. All of it.
The United Way never helped my sister or my family in any way. We were in the middle class with a support system of family nearby. We didn’t have cause to use United Way (which, incidentally, is an excellent system). In fact, we donated to the United Way.
But, after sitting in that room and hearing the stories the others were telling, and no doubt wishing she’d had more hardships in her life, my sister, a storyteller of the highest order, decided that she couldn’t disappoint by telling the awful truth.
Additionally, the story was so impressive because my mother did indeed have a successful business. People knew her. So, it would certainly help the United Way’s money making cause to have her as one of their successes. But her life and business had nothing to do with the United Way. And she probably wouldn’t want people to think otherwise. Not to mention my father, who not only paid child support, but never lived over a mile away from his children and was a solid member of the community. He certainly wouldn’t appreciate people thinking he was a deadbeat dad.
So, the last story my sister told to the United Way trainer was about how she couldn’t possibly work for the United Way because, well, first off, it was all a lie, and secondly, she’d never be able to tell any story to a United Way audience with a straight face.
