McMartin Pre-Schooler: 'I Lied'

But the lying really bothered me. One particular night stands out in my mind. I was maybe 10 years old and I tried to tell my mom that nothing had happened. I lay on the bed crying hysterically—I wanted to get it off my chest, to tell her the truth. My mother kept asking me to please tell her what was the matter. I said she would never believe me. She persisted: "I promise I'll believe you! I love you so much! Tell me what's bothering you!" This went on for a long time: I told her she wouldn't believe me, and she kept assuring me she would. I remember finally telling her, "Nothing happened! Nothing ever happened to me at that school."

She didn't believe me.

http://www.latimes.com/travel/destinations/pacific/la-tm-mcmartin44oct30,0,285518.story?coll=la-home-magazine

I remember them whenever someone says "why would someone make something like that up?" The answer is I don't know why, but sometimes it happens. There were some wild stories that came out of New Orleans during Katrina and I'm sure that people who were there are now convinced that they were true. The saddest part is that they have buried the true stories with the wild stories.