When I moved back to Montana, it was with no small amount of reservations as to the intimacy of the place. Sure, it's huge. But I can tell you it doesn't feel that way. Everyone is related to everyone else. I'm actually not kidding. I can't tell you the number of people who turned out to be long-lost kin when I walked around meeting the people in my office. It's hilarious and disturbing at the same time. So I went in with my eyes (my very frightened eyes) wide open. But, still, I cannot wrap my head around the amount of time here spent talking about everyone else.
Many of you have heard this before. So what has set me off this week? A story told to me by a friend. She oversees a number of employees at a local bank. Apparently, one of her employees was busted doing something that still makes me want to cry. The woman walked up to a customer who she casually knew and said "Oh, hey, does Cindy cut your hair? Mine too!" When the customer was startled by the woman's statement, the woman continued, "Yeah, I saw the check you wrote her."
I wish I was kidding.
A less outrageous, but still bizarre, example comes courtesy of a family acquaintance. This woman loves nothing more that to dish on people about town. She clearly takes an unhealthy joy in telling stories about people. One day she asked me if I had met the couple around the corner from the house I am renting. I had and they are very nice. She proceeds to tell me all about how she works with the brother of the guy and it turns out that the wife just found out she has colon cancer and they're debating treatment and it's going to put off their fertility treatments. Are you kidding me? These people are nice, decent people I have talked with a handful of times. Why in the world do I need to know about their medical histories?
In what world is all of this ok? In fairness, it wasn't here, either--the employee was reprimanded and the acquaintance was scolded for taking joy in the trials of others. But, still! Why others feel as though they have the right to know each and every detail about their neighbors' lives, is beyond me. And from what I understand, it's not just a Montana thing. And sure, I'm guilty of minor gossip offenses. I have been known to recount some of the crazy things I come across in my job (without names or descriptors, and only to Chicago folks, of course). BUT. Am I off-base in thinking that the detailed sale of information is NUTS?? Do you know people who are like this?? Please send detailed stories, with names.
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