He Said She Said

Ahh, rumors. One of the essentials to being in high school. Whether they’re about you, a friend, an enemy, people just can’t seem to get enough of that juicy gossip that may or may not be true. And why should they care if it is or isn’t? It’s scandalous and dirty and that’s really all that matters.

The thing about people is that they need some sense of excitement. They work all day, and sleep all night, then do the same thing over again for a week. What could possibly serve as some form of entertainment? Then one day someone over hears Jenny’s having an affair, or Martha’s hiding the fact that she’s pregnant because her stomach is getting a little bigger. And pretty soon it makes its way to the entire workplace or school. And by the time it reaches their own ears, it sounds something more like “Martha slept with Jenny’s husband and is now pregnant but isn’t telling anyone, then having the baby in guam and selling it for extra cash so they can elope to Nevada”.

And just like that, everyone’s view on Martha becomes twisted. She is no longer the friendly co-worker, but a husband stealing baby selling home wrecker. And she’s left puzzled, when she’s not even pregnant and has just been eating a little too many donuts.

Yes, I’ve had a fair share of rumors spread about me and the occasional cowardly “blocked number” calls and messages left on my phone. But who hasn’t? People love to talk. And what are you gonna do? Telling them it isn’t true won’t stop anything. Even if someone doesn’t have a smudge of written proof, or a picture, or a video, or even knowledge of when or how the so-called rumor occurred, it won’t stop them from rolling their eyes and telling the next person they see. You gotta love gossip.