A Cautionary Tale

[Johanna Johnson]

A few years ago, a woman contacted me off list to discuss a post I had written about Roger and Pete.
   
  She worded it like she was an insider and I was intrigued.
   
  The email conversation went on for some time and she was clearly trying to convey that she was an insider in the Who camp.
   
  She would say things like "if I could trust you, I would tell you my true identity, but Pete/Roger would be pissed".
   
  Finally she revealed to me that she was John Entwistle's 16 year younger sister.  She had a very elaborate story, talking about how Queenie had put her up for adoption and she grew up in the states.  She was very detailed about things.  She would always ask me to NEVER tell anyone.
   
  Well, obviously, I did extensive online research and came up with absolutely nothing, zero, zilch.
   
  I asked Fang if John had a sister and he said nope.  End of that conversation.
   
  As time went on, she wanted me to believe that she also had been married to Roger, very briefly, and was the true mother of Willow and Rosie.  She went to great detail about her relationship now with Heather and how they were close.  She said that because she was very, very young when Rosie and Willow were born, it was decided that Heathor would raise them as her's and Rogers, but that she had a very good relationship with Heather. 
   
  This woman went to great lengths to research facts and place herself in them.  I continued to try to verify who she was because I just found it almost impossible to believe this could possibly be true.  Why was she contacting me?  
   
  She began sending me and my kids many, many gifts, some Who related, most not.  She lived in Michigan and had re-married.  Her new husband was diagnosed with a horrible illness.
   
  Everything she said didn't make sense, so much so that it had to make sense.  Why in the world would this generous sweet woman be carrying on such an elaborate lie?  
   
  I only told 3 people about this (I promised her I would keep this secret, but it was too crazy to not get a few opinions about it).  I told my dad, my brother and a good friend of mine on this list.
   
  So, this went on.  She would call me, email me and send me cards and gifts. I did not want to believe this whole thing and would sometimes forget that she claimed to, who she claimed to be.
   
  So, I planned an intervention.  I called her and I told her that I just didn't believe her and I didn't want to go on with this crazy-ness.  She started crying.  I asked "this whole thing is untrue, right?"....and after tears and sobs, she quietly admitted "yes, it isn't true."
   
  She continued crying and went on to tell me that she had done this sort of thing years before, and had gotten into alot of trouble.  She begged me not to get her into trouble for this.  I told her I wouldn't.  I counseled her to get help and she tearfully said that she would, that agreed she needed it.  She asked if we could still be friends and I told her no, I can't be friends with someone who is dishonest, especially to this level.
   
  That was the last time I had any contact with her.
   
  After I got off the phone, I contacted my good friend on this list.  I told him about it.  I explained how the intervention played out, etc.  He then told me he had told Kevin.  I was a little surprised because he promised me he wouldn't share it with anyone.  But, he said Kevin just wanted to help.  He told me that Kevin was doing some leg work and had verified that she wasn't who she said she was.
   
  I believe in "it is the thought that counts", but I truly was the one that brought it all out in the open.  I did it before I even knew that Kevin knew what happened.  
   
  I have been heavily critisized for not giving Kevin the credit that some felt he deserved.  I definitely appreciate him doing the "leg work" verify this hoax. But, that simply is not how it went down.  If my car was stolen, and I was able to recover it, but later Kevin came in and said "I know where your car is!", it would be like "dude, thanks, but I already found it already".  
   
  Thanks for looking Kevin, I appreciate you trying to assist me in uncovering this.  But, I pretty much took care of the whole thing myself.  But, it is the thought that counts, so thank you.
   
  I just wanted to clear this up.  As the story gets passed around, it keeps getting more and more distorted.

		
---------------------------------
New Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC for low, low rates.