I Don't Even /Like/ Pumpkin!

I've been accused of cheating. Not recently, thankfully, but since it happened oh so many years ago, I can claim no longer that I've not been accused of cheating. But any time I have to admit that I once was accused of cheating, I can further, at least, go on to say that They Were Wrong.

It's not often that a kid in middle school gets the chance to say that.

Not that I'm a kid in middle school any longer, but I did get to say so then (and still get to say so now. They Were Wrong!)

But because of this one time, I can no longer say that I've not been accused of cheating. Which saddens me greatly. Not that I'm claiming to be either for or against cheating; that's the topic for another time, when I'm again skimming the bottom of the barrel and have nothing interesting or generally worthwhile about which to rant. No, I'm claiming neither, mostly I'm claiming that I don't like to be called a cheater. Even more so when it's not true.

I can't help that in that competition, the question they asked was dumb. I can't help that they had to give us all sorts of numbers for the word problem before we were supposed to be able to start scribbling to put the numbers together is some meaningful and coherent way. I can't help that the way they gave us the numbers, the question was obvious before it had been stated, and the answer was apparent as soon as the last number was revealed.

I can't help that I chimed in with the answer before they thought I even knew the question, I can't help that the other team felt like glaring at me.

I can't help that they thought I was cheating.

But when they realized that the question itself came from the other team, that there was no chance I could have even seen the question, much less rememberized its answer, they began to doubt their claims.

I can't help that I could still see it in their eyes and thoughts, though. Cheater, cheater! Seeing things in people's thoughts doesn't make me a cheater, right?