I see right through you (P1)

He's lying to me. I can always tell when they're lying. His eyes won't quite meet mine and he keeps looking down and to the left. His hands are fidgeting, his shoulders slightly hunched in an unconsciously defensive posture. In trying too hard not to give anything away, he gives away everything.

::Sigh::

"You're lying and I'm done." I stand up and walk out of the restaurant. At least we hadn't ordered yet. So I don't have to feel guilty about sticking him with the tab. Men. Why do I even bother?

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Reading people is a skill I've had as long as I can remember though I wasn't always this good at it. Being a really good Reader is typically the result of one of two circumstances: a mentor who trains you intensively in observation or as a self defense mechanism.

I am a student of the second school.

In High School I had the misfortune to be a walking trifecta of the three worse things to be. I was smart, I was sensitive and I was shy. All of these things would have been enough by themselves to create problems for me in the Hobbesian environment of the Popularity contest that is High School but I had a fourth. One more thing about me that just put me over the top (or really at the lowest of the low in social strata): I was a teacher's kid. And my parents both taught at the school I attended.

With these handicaps came the inevitable onslaught of teenage cruelties. Nerd, Geek, Bitch and slut were some of the nicer things said about me. Many of the things I heard and that were said about me were much worse.

It became a matter of survival to be able to read the intent of someone approaching me before they got there. Amongst other things it gave me a better chance of running if it seemed necessary. I learned to tell who was angry, who was teasing, who was being purposely cruel and who wanted a favor.

But the most important thing I learned was how to spot a lie. I'll tell you the most interesting thing I've learned about lying in my 33 years on this planet. Humans are infinitely capable of self-deception. But even when they've thoroughly convinced themselves of a lie their subconscious knows the truth. No matter how practiced the words and how easily they come to their mouths, if you're really observant, their bodies will be shouting the truth to you. Your body is your closest friend, but when it comes to lies and secrets it is also your greatest enemy.

 But I digress... where was I? Ah yes... the restaurant.

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I glanced back and saw what I had expected to see. My brand new ex deep in earnest conversation with the sexy blonde who had been so eagerly eavesdropping on our conversation for the past 20 minutes. She'd been careful not to stare but her sitting angle, slightly away from her table and angled towards ours gave her interest away as surely as if she'd pulled up a chair at our table.

She was going to be sorry, but that wasn't my problem. Callous? Perhaps. I prefer to think of it as a result of the most valuable lesson I've learned in life. You can't save people. People have to save themselves. You can give advice and point the way until you're blue in the face but if they don't want to follow, they won't. You wait until they ask for your help, and if they never ask... well there isn't really much you can do. And frankly, if watching his girlfriend call him a liar and walk out hadn't cued her in to the fact that he was likely a less than spectacular relationship candidate she deserved the life lesson she was going to be learning.

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Time to check in. Still walking to my car I pulled my phone out of my purse and sent a simple text. 'It's done.' it took less than 15 seconds for the phone to ring.

"Really? Just like that? Already?" came the slightly static voice of my best friend.

"You know my rule Rick, it hasn't changed. Lying to me is a waste of time and energy on their part and a source of severe irritation on mine. He wasn't going to admit what was really going on and I am disinclined to waste my valuable time, energy and emotional capital trying to make him confess what I already know."

"And how did he take it?"

"Don't you worry about his feelings, he's already being 'comforted' by a cute blonde that had been eyeing him since we walked in the door. I believe his recovery time will be measured in seconds."