Gossip sat despondent a small cell telephone laying inches away decrying and exclaiming:

"I am the most hated person in the world. No one likes me yet they call when they want to know, what to know what is going on around here. I work hard at what I do but there is no gratitude and no one acknowledges my positive virtues. They are all blind." Gossip said hurtfully.

Some accuse me of breaking up marriages, and there might be truth in that, but mind you, even as I take the word of others and pass it on, most of the time it is truth which breaks up marriages, not I, and who would not want to know the truth, that is why I am popularly unpopular.
 

When people want to know what is going on at work with others who work there, with bosses, they come to me at the water cooler where I pass the news like it was five clock in the city and they all drink from the communion cup and go back to those cubicle desks armed against what may come and what may have already transpired. My minions are everywhere, in every human situation. I am ubiquitous.

Mistakes I have made some sure. I can't verify everything which is told to me, nor can I avoid mistakes in the re-telling and or in my own hearing. And true , I do embroider but people won't come to me unless l have things juicy.

I gossip, everyone does, except hermits and its true , I like the notice it gets me otherwise we would all be passing one another like robots.

Human beings what to know what other human beings are thinking and saying about them.

I have a function.

I read once that language came about because when the wife married and moved to another clan gossip about what happened to her there was needed by her family so people learned to share the gossip of the court.

If it were not for me there was be no tabloids, no movie stars, no media because they all depend upon me for their existence. Take away gossip available 24/7 and all you would have on TV is science shows, commercials and other dull fare.
Great literature," Gossip continued,"even if I may say so myself, is beautifully written gossip and owes much to me.

All story telling is an homage to me.

Yet I am despised even though I have given so much of myself in so many ways, to so many.

I finally saw the wound, red flowing blood and Gossip looked up at me and said:

"And now I am at the mercy of you a stranger, to save me, least I die, here once and for all.

"Irony this," Gossip said, "that each year this repeats. I start to bleed like this and only a stranger's kiss can save me and give me yet another year. Each year human kind must decide whether I live or die.

For thousands of years it has been this way. Humankind decides in the form of my stranger as to whether I receive the kiss and live or am left here bereft,  kissless and expire. For me I am indifferent by now, weary, the stress is often too great for me.

I see each one try to decide, each one measuring all I offer against their hatred of me, my gifts versus their personal distaste for me.

Did you know? Gossip said "that in every civilization there are Gossip graffitti on the walls of tombs, Gossip in letters to and from home, in high school cafeteria, at every job, in church, on board space ships; two people equals story swapping of the gossip kind. I am a human need each year renewed, with this.

Gossip then produced a long thin blade and gently pushed it toward me. 

"With this you could make the plunge and end all that I am forever, or you could kiss these lips and renew my life for another year. I never am completely sure, and part of me grows weary of this life where so much hatred is aimed toward me and simultaneously so much is asked of me.  I too, have my dilemmas.

And you have to decide.

But for whom do you decide; you on your own personal feelings, or are you here to decide for everyone and weigh the pros and cons of my demise."

The genuine wretchedness on Gossip's face gave me both pause and too, I had a great anger toward Gossip for I too, as many had, been Gossips victim in the past; a vicious lie often told can come to resemble the truth and can live forever.

I had motivation to plunge the blade-deeply.

So I had  rhyme and reason to plunge that blade and end that sort of misery for all mankind.

But Gossip was a person too, lonely, angry, true vicious, dejected and now totally at my mercy.

I raised my blade.

But before you decide," Gossip said quickly  "can you reassure me that you have never gossiped, never told a tale slightly untrue , never repeated a confidence you promised you never would.

Can you tell me this?"

The blade was frozen in this instant.

Your vote:
___Gossip Dies


___Gossip Lives

To be continued.