The Bush Telegraph System

Ahhh...there's nothing like the Bush Telegraph System.  Living in such small communities, you get to hear things about yourself that even you didn't know about yourself.  But that's not the only reason this system is so wonderful.  Information seems to spread faster than the plague.  Nothing can compare to getting  new information before your neighbor does.  That way, when you ask someone "Did you hear about....?; and they say "No! Tell me!" you can skew this info as you see fit.  This is a tremendous advantage in your favor when the person/people involved happen to be someone you don't have the greatest respect for.

Same holds true, however; for someone trying to make a loved one appear to be an angel.  All it takes is changing as little as one fact.  Tunnel vision kicks in, and then before you know it, rock-solid beliefs are set in.  Nothing can change the way you're thinking now.  In what seems to be the blink of an eye, half the town has heard YOUR story.  Where things get very interesting is when there is another story floating around, that the other half of town has heard.  Usually, these are conflicting stories.  Arguments are not unheard of.  Mini wars take place.  Friendships are lost.

Soooooo- how do you go about sorting fact from fiction?  Which story do you believe?  Let's face it- some people just go with trusting the source.  But then some will take into  consideration cold, hard facts from the past.  PROVEN cold, hard facts.  Some believe that once you're headed down a path, and you've been heading down that path for some time, it's hard to change direction.  People usually don't change thier ways.  Once you learn one way to do something, you don't just UN-learn it.  Habits are formed.  Some of these habits are good.  Of course, some of these habits are downright horrible.

There may be those that are smack dab in the middle with absolutely no opinion in such matters whatsoever.  These people are in very few numbers, so we won't talk about them.

Think about it, have you ever "gossiped?"  I thought so.  So, the next time you "hear" something, just take a second to remind yourself that you're in the same soap opera as everyone else in your community.  Doesn't matter which side you're on, either.  My advice to you- suck it up, sucka- you just happen to be a vital link in the Bush Telegraph System whether you like it or not.