PORT ANGELES — There was purported bungee-jumping from a hot air balloon, as well as alleged mosquitoes growing larger and larger until they lifted a man and hauled him away.
And the tallest tale took place, naturally, atop a mountain.
In it, Josh McLean, who happens to be an Olympic National Park ranger, unfortunately leaves his backpack up there.
Fortunately, a monster retrieves said pack and returns it to its owner.
Believe it? The judges at the first Clallam County Liars’ Contest did — or they enjoyed it, at least.
McLean won first place in the contest, which filled the Camp Fire Clubhouse with lies, lies and more lies last month.
The June 27 event attracted 10 contestants with all manner of wildlife-related claims.
They said they had faced down bears, mountain lions, wolves, trolls — and in the case of second-place winner Bob Nuffer of Sequim, the big, bad mosquitoes.
One of the stranger stories was about a boy living with a screw in his navel.
That one came from the imagination of Brian Pettyjohn, the third-place winner.
Judges Jan Yates, Verae Pritchett and Max Mania, a Port Angeles City Council member, considered four criteria: creativity, delivery, stage presence and audience response.
The winners received recycled trophies but no cash or other prizes.
The Liars’ Contest was a success, co-organizer Pat Ferris declared, and it will be back this time next year.
“By the time the evening was over,” she added, “most of the audience was laughing and sharing their own adventures.”
The Story People, a group of sociable storytellers, hosted the Liars’ Contest. It asked for a $5 to $10 donation to make it a fundraiser for this October’s Forest Storytelling Festival.
To find out more about that event, which brings storytellers from across the nation to Port Angeles the weekend of Oct. 19-21, visit www.DancingLeaves.com/storypeople.
The Story People are on their summer hiatus but will restart their fourth-Monday-of-the-month story swaps in September.
For information about those open gatherings, phone 360-582-1724.
Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
