A Lie is Worse than a Mistake

When I was a very little girl my mother told me that a lie was worse than a mistake. Two years ago, when during my freshman year, I learned the truth of my mother's words.

It was a busy season when all basketball teams were preparing for the Freshmen Game, which was one of the most exciting events in the university. I worked for the basketball team as an assistant to help the captain in some daily affairs. Our team had never entered the quarter final in history, but this year we won the championship! It was a landmark event. I still remember the moment we won."Champion! Champion! Victory! Victory!" I kept screaming until my voice cracked.

However the happiness didn’t last more than a day. That night, a horrible message from the captain came. It told me that our team had been suspended because John got on the court, and he was a graduate freshman who was not permitted in the game.The dorm was warm but the fine hair on my arms stood up.  Before I figured out the situation, the captain's call came. "Meet me in the coffee shop, now." He said indifferently. There he was, sitting by the window. His face was pale with rage and his teeth clenched. I went to him and we sat face to face, in an embarrassing silence. He opened his mouth first. “You told me that you attended the meeting and you had read the rules of game.”

My heart speeded up after hearing that. In an instant I recalled the details of that day of the meeting. It was a regular meeting ,usually held before every game, in which the committee would make the draw and confirm the rules. The captain asked me to attend it in his place. The meeting would be held at 18:00 at the Students’ Center. I wrote it down on my notebook in an obvious place. But after I finished all my homework, it was nearly 20:00. Oh my god! I totally forgot it. How could I forget it. I grabbed my key and rushed to the place as fast as I could. But I missed the whole meeting. How could I tell the captain? He was such a serious guy that he would have to be angry with me. How could I make up my mistake. My face turned red. I didn’t know what I should do. Luckily, the student told me the time and place of our game which I thought might be the most information. I breathed a little easier and just relayed the information to the captain. When he asked me whether there was anything special in the meeting, I said “no” confidently.

The captain’s pale face dragged me back.  I admitted that I totally forgot the meeting. My voice shook before I knew. I dare not to look in his eyes. His face got even paler after hearing my reply. We kept in silence for a few seconds. Then he told me what had happened because of my lie, in an indifferent tongue.

Freshman Game used to be OK for graduates freshman, but this year it had been changed. If I had told him earlier, he would have been able to ask the committee about the rules. He trusted me but I lied to him. At first he was calm, but later he couldn't control himself and started to blame me. A few minutes later, he recovered again. His face was still pale. “Everything was in vain.” He left, without another word.

I stayed there still like a stone. I just didn't want to be blamed for the little mistake ,so I made up for a mistake by telling a lie. I thought I handled it but I messed up everything. Everyone in the coffee shop seemed to laugh at me. I couldn’t help crying out.

“ A lie is worse than a mistake.” Suddenly, I remembered my mom’s words.