Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rumors Not Wanted

Once upon a time, many years ago, in a land far, far away, and at a different newspaper, I wrote a little ditty called The Barbershop Boys.'

The premise of this column was a small town reporter goes wherever possible to get news. In this case, our intrepid reporter visited a local barber shop to get the latest "gossip, rumors and truths of the day."

Now, it really doesn't matter the size of the town involved, because everywhere has at least one place people gather at various times of the day to talk. Unfortunately, some of this talk gets blown out of proportion, turned into solid fact and is spread accordingly.

There's also this saying, "If you haven't heard a good rumor by noon, start one."

Herein lies the problem  rumors are not fact. In many cases, rumors have little or nothing to do with anything other than they are stories "that sound good at the time."

Recall, if you will and can, a game played where people form a circle. A story is begun at one end, whispered from person to person until it completes the circuit. In almost every instance, what returns to the person who started the story has nothing to do with the original.

This example may seem a bit exaggerated, but isn't far off the mark. Picture a group of folks having a cup of coffee at the local gathering place early in the morning. The first and original story is, "Did you hear old Bill broke his toe?"

There's nothing wrong here. The premise is based in truth, Bill broke his toe. However, by the time noon rolls around, poor old Bill is in a body cast in a hospital after being in car wreck. By suppertime, Bill's dead and the funeral is being planned.

Meanwhile, Bill is hobbling around, perfectly fine except for the broken digit.

Many a reputation has been ruined because of rumors as well. Another example being a man and woman having lunch together. One, the other or both are married. Even though the meal shared is nothing more than partaking in food, a rumor will almost surely be started the two are having an illicit affair with one another. He becomes a world-class scum, while she's nothing more than a tramp, even though they shared nothing more than a midday meal.

Don't laugh, people, this type thing has happened more than once.

Which, in its roundabout way, brings me to this point. Rumors aren't wanted.

On a personal note I have chased more "ghosts", as I call them, than I care to remember, just because of "rumors" heard at the coffee shop. Were I able to recall the hours wasted chasing these phantom stories, I would be a couple of years younger at the very least.

Granted, folks, and this isn't being cruel, just honest, there isn't much to do in a small town. People live here because they were born here or because they like it here, not because they're being held hostage and forced to be here. (However, if anyone is being forced to stay at gunpoint, give me a call, it'll make a good story.)

People live in a small town primarily because they prefer a slower pace.

We know these truths to be evident, major performers will not be putting on concerts at the local high school auditorium. Major athletic teams will not be playing on the high school field or in the high school gym. But this is all right, it's why we're here. If we wanted to live where concerts are held regularly, professional or college athletics were at hand, we would.

But we don't, and because of this there are periods when very little is going on worth mentioning. This is where rumors and gossip get their foothold and become "truths."

Let's, though, try to be aware of rumors and gossip being nothing more than wisps of smoke, ignore them and not pass them on.