The Early Chapters
Post this one“Pick the early story about us that has been most improved in the retelling — and write down what actually happened.”
Built for distance. Answer it apart, wherever you are, and send it — post it, photograph it, read it down the phone. Then it’s the other one’s move.
Why this question
The dinner-party version versus the version the facts support.
And once you’ve both answered
Post your correction. The other party may appeal once, in writing. Your move.
Answering it honestly
- Answer it on your own, wherever you are, before you see theirs. Distance is the feature here, not the obstacle.
- Send the actual answer — post the page, photograph it, read it down the phone. Then it's their move.
- Resist the urge to soften it in transit. The unedited version is the one worth posting.
And the house rule, whatever the mode: leave a blank rather than write a lie. A blank can be filled later; a lie sits in the archive forever, and you both have to live with the paperwork.
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