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Blogs by Mary E Martin
Mary E. Martin Fiction/Truth? 5/31/2006 6:31:00 PM
Whether a piece of writing should be called fiction or truth is a 'hot' issue these days, particularly when it comes to memoirs...which is why I don't think I will ever attempt one, but... I'd like to share a brief story. As you can tell from my bio, I'm a non-practising lawyer. Throughout my practice, I've had many elderly clients and have learned much from them. Right now, I'm taking care, under a power of attorney, of a 101.5 year old woman in a nursing home. She is completely and utterly helpless, and she cries out a great deal. When asked why she is crying, she does not seem to realize that she is.
This past Saturday, her neighbour, another elderly woman who gets around in the nursing home with a walker, tried to smother my client with a pillow. Fortunately, she was stopped in time.
My point in mentioning this? Truth can definitely be stranger than fiction, but it is the sort of incident which tends to wind up in my writing. I know this event will find a place but if it is changed or elaborated upon it remains part of my personal experience but will never be in a memoir. So where is the line?
Check out Conduct in Question which contains these sorts of 'events' based in some truth, but greatly elaborated.
