I don’t know why he wanted, perhaps even needed, the narrative of being overwhelmed and under threat to be true. So much so that he made stuff up to prove it. But I know that he embarrassed himself only because he was asked, politely and calmly, to provide some proof of what he claimed and, apparently, believed.
A thought occured to me. Maybe because it gave him a purpose in life. He could stand up to something, proof his worth.
