TIFU by convincing my niece that I used to be a Ghostbuster.

My F-up occurred last week, but the ramifications presented themselves this morning.

Last weekend, my sister-in-law stayed with my wife and me. Her daughter (my niece) had a doctor's appointment early in the morning last Monday. I live much closer to the clinic than they do, so it made sense to crash at my place so they didn't have to get up at 5 a.m.

Last Sunday night, we stuck with season's theme and watched a "scary movie." We watched one of my childhood favorites, Ghostbusters. My niece loved it and stayed up late to see the whole thing. Some quick info, she's 5 years old.

After the movie and a little before I went to bed, I heard my niece and SIL in my guest room. She was crying because my old house was setting for the night, making the ever-present creaking sounds. My niece thought they were ghosts coming to get her and her mom.

So I knocked on the door and was let in. I asked what was wrong, and my niece told me about the ghost in my house. Thinking I was smart, I told her we didn't have any ghosts in my house because I already caught them all. I told her that her dad (my brother) and I used to be Ghostbusters, and we caught all the ghosts in our family's houses. She went from crying to total amazement instantly.

"MY DAD WAS A GHOSTBUSTER?!

She exclaimed very loudly. "But they're not real. That's just a movie," she said. I told her that just like movies about cops and firefighters, there are also Ghostbusters, and that movie was about them.

As this is going on, I see the face on my SIL, and she's giving me a look. So I wrapped up my bullshitting and told her there was nothing to worry about and it was safe to go to bed. They attended the appointment the following day, returned home, and continued with life.

On to this morning.

My brother called me a while ago to fill me in on the goings-on at his daughter's preschool, he seemed irritated. He's being asked to come in and talk about his work experience "busting ghost" during his college years. Mrs. Doyle, the preschool teacher, wants me to go too because I was also a Ghostbuster, so we could tell war stories about our previous occupation.

She can't be serious, I asked my brother. He said she is, and all the other kids are also excited to hear back from us. Apparently, my niece has the same talent for bullshitting that I do and convinced her teacher we were legit Ghostbusters who caught all the ghosts in our whole state. I truly don't believe the teacher seriously believes this, she has to be screwing with us.

Regardless, for the sake of the kids I am now checking out cosplay sites and toy stores for proton packs. At least I'll have this year's Halloween costume picked out.

TLDR: I convinced my niece that her father and I were Ghostbusters in our younger years. She then convinced her entire preschool the same thing and now my brother and I are shopping for the part.