“But in hindsight it seems like a bit of a cruel trick to play on kids, but then taking that with the knowledge that his father was a molester...that seems like something a child molester would say to a victim.”
Dude, the father was telling you he had a rock from the moon in his garage. Not like he was Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin. Plus if he really had a rock from the moon he would not keep it in the garage where just anyone could steal it.
Oh it was definitely just a ruse.
I’m quite sure this man was a well practiced predator with any number of ploys to use on a herd of children that he had access to each weekday.
Every parents worst nightmare, and this was way back in 1977.