Where do I exaggerate?

Note: I just read an article from the New York Times in which David Sedaris says he exaggerates for effect, especially quotations, saying, "Memoir is the last place you'd expect to find the truth." I was a little disappointed, like someone telling a kid that Santa Claus does not exist or telling a certain wheelchair user that doctors would never cure Friedreich's ataxia. Was the rude American in "Picka Pocketoni" really the spectacularly rude American that made most of my family cry with laughter as we each read the story on vacation? But then I felt liberated and unconstrained by such silly concepts as truth. In fact, given that he is a successful writer and I am not, maybe I should be constrained to exaggerate.

I did not escape unscathed from my fall last Friday night. A few days after the fall, my jaw started to hurt and pop every time I opened my mouth, whether to eat, talk or yawn. With the help of Advil, I made it through those days, and now it only pops 10% of the time. It still hurts, though. And my teeth are not lining up properly. I thought I had a dental appointment tomorrow so I could get it checked out then, but it is not till next week.

I think Mom suspects it is more from clenching my teeth, which I admit I do a lot. I myself would be skeptical because of the delayed onset of the pain. But I ate nothing after the fall that would create the problem, and a fall is always a good cause.

I could go to the doctor at work, but he would only be interested in whether I broke my neck as he is whenever I visit after a fall.

Your cut eyebrow looks fine, but are you sure your neck doesn't hurt? Even a little? he asked last time I went.

When finally assured that my neck was not sore, he asked how old I was. I told him, and he said: Oh, it probably will be. Your body's not young anymore.

I wish I were exaggerating any of this.