True & False Stories! :>

Write 2 short stories. One is completely true. One is completely false. Only the author knows which is which!

One morning, I walked out my front door and turned to locked the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something on the floor. I looked down, only to find that it was a super huge cockroach just sitting there minding its own business. Immediately, I ran away as fast as I could, then realised the door was still unlocked. I stared at it, but it just stood there. After wondering for a moment about what I should do, I called my home number. My mum took forever to wake up and yes, I told her there was a cockroach stoning outside our door.

One time, I was sitting on a reserved seat on the MRT when a woman came on. Her belly looked quite round and she stood in front of me like she was hinting something. I was just about to give up my seat to her when I remembered the time my sister told me how someone gave up his seat for her friend who wasn’t actually pregnant, just plump. Just then, I panicked and started wondering what to do. I looked at her fingers and her tummy time and again to see if I could find something that showed that she was pregnant. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a thing. I got quite stressed over it after a while, so guess what? I went off at Bishan when I don’t even live there so that I can just not worry about it anymore.

Now identify: Which story is true? What are the details that convinced us of its truth?

Purpose of the exercise: A true story is not necessarily a good story. Good stories have to be worked and reworked. True life stories do not offer neat and relevant endings. Life is unpredictable. In a story, we can and must control the events and sequences so that it gives the appearance of being like life.