I would know... I was there.

About 10 years ago, my dad and I got into a minor argument about my birthday. We are at a church fellowship lunch. I was living in Tallahassee at the time, so I didn't really know a lot of people there. Dad said something about my birthday and age. I said, "You know my birthday?" He said, "Of course Min." And then he gave the correct month and date but the wrong year. I laughed and pointed out that I was in fact born in 1981, not 1980. To which my dad responds, "Please... I think I know when you were born... I was there!"
You have to keep in mind that I didn't know the people we were with well, and here is my dad arguing with me about how old I actually am. This conversation went on for a while, and I think it ended at an impasse. An agree to disagree. I know Dad will probably say that this didn't happen, but you really shouldn't take all of what he says for fact.
I had to tell you the above story to tell you the next one. You would not believe how often I have had to reference the "birth year" conversation over the past decade. Anyway, last night a bunch of our family members gathered at Mom and Dad's house to celebrate LaLa's birthday. My sister Steph was home from college, but Jack couldn't make it in to town.
So, Rea was eating an apple. Z (Steph's bf), Steph, Dad, Rea & I were all lounging in the family room. Rea was in a sharing mood... she offered some of her apple to me. I tried to politely decline, but it is hard to tell a 3 year old no. She kept shoving the apple in my face. I said, "I can't really eat it because of my fake teeth." Of course Rea had no idea what I was talking about.
Z said to Steph, "Min has fake teeth?"
"Hahaha. Yeah." Then to me, she says, "You were the one who got hit in the face with the softball, right?"
"Yep. That would be me." Lots of laughing ensues. Might tell you that story at a later time. Let's just say that I was lucky to have had braces at the time...
Then Steph says, "How did Jack break her's?"
LOTS of laughing.
I say, "Oh, funny story. When we were little, I thought it would be fun to walk like a duck by holding on to my ankles and waddling across the floor. Ahhh, good times. Jack thought it looked like fun too. But she didn't think things through. She attempted the waddle while on the couch. Almost instantly she face planted on the floor."
LOTS of laughing.
Then, my dad says, "That's not how it happened. I'll tell you how it happened."
"What?!? That's exactly how it happened... but ok buddy. Tell me what happened." (I am absolutely cracking up at this point)
Dad continues, "You (me) were going to do the wheelbarrow with Jack. You lifted her legs, but her arms gave out and she smacked her face into the ground. That's how she lost her tooth."
I think you should know that my dad is completely serious when he tells this story. Like, he actually believes this to be true.
A lot of heckling back and forth. Steph is even in on the action because we have NEVER heard this story before.
The only way to solve this is to have Jack tell us how she lost her tooth. So I call her... and leave a voicemail, because if you know Jack, you know she doesn't answer the phone. Ever.
When she calls back, I ask her (without any prompting or coaching) if she can remember what caused her to lose her tooth. No surprise here, she tells the EXACT same story I did. Then, without prompting she says, "Why? What did Dad say happened?" After I relayed Dad's fiction anecdote to her, she cracked up and said, "He wasn't even there!"

I really don't know why Dad even attempts to argue with me. I am usually right. He told me he has always done this... but ever since "1980/1981" I haven't let him get away with it.

Maybe Steph was a little prophetic when she was little... she always said Dad was the funniest one in the family. No one believed her at the time, but now I think she might be right.

Love you much Dad!

And happy birthday LaLa!