Gossip: A Bed of Deceit

It's an art form in which every breathing soul is victimized: Gossip.

Gossip is not a new concept by any means, look at Shakespearean plays or early Greek/Roman mythology. Gossip, or falsely accusing another's reputation, runs rampant among friend and foe, leaving no barrier untouched--especially in small towns. It is with that truth that I speak of now.

The mayor's mother of Charter Oak has been spreading gossip that my family has stolen her grandchildren's cat, which went missing about 4 months ago. Her reason for this is because she saw one of our cats in the window and saw it had a black tail, so it had to be their cat! (Ok, both of our cats have black tails, so I don't know which one she saw. If she saw Billie, then she saw a cat that's about 4 different colors, if she saw Cuddles, she saw a cat that's 3 different colors.) Now, the mayor's mother is going all around Charter Oak telling citizens that we are bad people who steal things.

Let's take a look at the facts.

1. Their cat went missing 4 months ago
2. We've had our cat for One year and one month
3. Their cat was black and white, with long hair
4. We have a cat that is black and white and kind of burgandyish with short hair.
5. They let their cat outside
6. BOTH of our cats are inside cats (although the one with three legs is allowed out in the fenced area when the dog, Rascal, is outside)

Um, yeah we stole her grandchildren's cat. (That's sarcasm people!) Heck no, we didn't take their cat! In fact Billie has 3 legs, so it can't be her, and Cuddles was given to us by a person who worked at the Beaumont hotel up in the Singing Hills area of Sioux City.

I doubt most people will beleive her, but you never know. Gossip always has been one of those traits that I hate. I don't like it, because it forces people to make decisions about other people based on a story, and we all know those stories are so truthful. No, it's not human nature to add some hyperbole to a story at all. (Sarcasm again!)

I guess, I don't totally understand why people choose to gossip. I for one, hate it. I would rather make up my own judgement about something or someone, rather than have it told to me. Many times there are two sides to a story, each seen from a different angle. Which may be the case here, but why didn't she just plain ask us about Cuddles rather than spread rumors around town?