LAICATUS PRAEDICANS

I was queuing at the supermarket checkout one day with my nephew John and his friend Tommy, both aged 7, when Tommy pointed to my Dominican badge and asked “What’s that?” I quickly tried to find an answer suitable for a 7-year-old: “That’s to tell people that I try to tell the truth at all times.” “Oh!” said Tommy, “there’s a boy in our class who tells lots of lies.” “That’s not very nice,” I said. “When you tell a lot of lies and are found out, people stop believing you even when you tell the truth. Do you tell lies?” Both boys looked very uncomfortable, so I added, “No need to answer that question! Just remember, you nearly always get caught out when you tell a lie.” At that I heard a giggle behind me and realized several people in the queue had been listening to the conversation.