Wednesday 4 February 2015

SHORTS - Gossip


One winds on the distaff what the other spins. (Both spread gossip). 
Pieter Bruegel the Elder - Dutch proverb

Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about
the personal or private affairs of others.


Prudence said we should come and have a coffee. I accepted with alacrity. Sometimes I like to gossip. Problem is, I never know any, so people like Prudence are very useful to me after a long period of abstinence. Before we go, I arrange for a parade of people in my mind’s eye whom I haven’t seen or heard of for a while and with whose current circumstances I need to familiarise myself. Not all the gossip is malicious; Beloved came too and he wouldn’t stand for that, but some bits are just too juicy to keep under wraps. Prudence is an old lady, one of the many in our small village who can be relied on to have her finger on the pulse of public opinion on any delicate matter, like who has offended whom and why, who’s having an affair with whom, whose son is in trouble, etc. On this occasion it was righteous indignation at the shenanigans of an 80+ year old who very recently buried his wife and is already actively on the look-out for her replacement. Well, at 80+ he doesn’t have all that much time left for renewed nuptials; I can quite see the reason for the hurry. All the same, we were united in tutting at such callous bad taste, as well as wondering who could possibly be desperate enough to take him up on the offer.

In a historical thriller I read recently ( one of C.J. Sansom’s Shardlake series - highly recommended if you want something light, fast paced, Tudor, and well researched) the etymology of the word gossip was mentioned. So I looked it up. It comes from Old English gossib, god sibb,  a godparent, close relation, confidant. What an enormous distance for a word to travel,  from something good like a sponsor, a friend and mentor, to an idle tittle-tattler who can cause real grief and unhappiness. 

Beloved must have been quite confused, he left one of his gloves behind, he thought. One glove on its own is an abomination, if you must lose one, make sure you lose both. Having hunted high and low, not finding it, even retracing steps from Prudence’s door to ours next morning, I rang her. Putting the receiver down I heard a voice from the lobby: “It’s alright,” he said, “found it. It was here all the time. Pretending to be a plastic bag.” Do you wonder I need the odd bit of light relief occasionally?





33 comments:

  1. Cute story of gossip and the missing glove pretending to be a plastic bag. My husband and I like the Shardlake series very much and have read the first 4 or 5, all but the new one. Buttercup told me about the series. C.J. Sansom is a great writer and makes Tudor times come alive. Let us know if the 80 year old widower finds a gal to date :)

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  2. ha. what an interesting journey that word has been on, for sure...
    its good to catch up on the news of friends and acquaintances...
    i hope at 80+ i am still randy enough to be on the prowl...hahaha

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  3. You are a marvelous writer as you can place humor right next to the tragedy of getting old and move smoothly along. I spent most of my time in the city making sure that hubby's gloves did not fall our of his jacket pocket. He never tucked them in tight when removing them.

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  4. at 80+ one would think some peace and quiet.

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  5. Friko, you had me smiling with this post, as you educated me about the origins of our word gossip, and then illustrated the definition with an annecdote. You know that I am not that young, Your recently bereaved 80 year old does seem a bit hasty in his search, but do keep me in mind if it seems that he has not completely lost his mind.

    What color are that reunited pair of gloves. Or...what color is most found on your local plastic bags? I ask these quiestions as someone who has had her own recent adventures with The Borrowers.

    I've made a note of C J Sansom and will see if his books are on the shelves of my marvelous library's stacks.

    You really are a marvelous writer. xo

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  6. California is currently phasing out plastic bags. They cite ecological concerns but I suspect our governor, who is well into his 70s now, is simply making it easier for us seniors to find our gloves. Delightful and instructive post, Friko. Thanks.

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  7. Gloves and socks are rascals!



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    <3

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  8. You manage to catch both the excitement and criticism of gossip at the same time. Good one!

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  9. Once upon a time, a very long time ago in a world no one ever would identify, I experienced the most creative gossiping in the world. It came in the form of a prayer group. Everyone was more or less devout, but they also were keenly aware of the importance of keeping on eye on the affairs (!) of the world. A typical intercession might begin, "Lord, bring you blessing to the Hodgkins, who are needful today..." An expectant pause would ensue, after which the intercessor would continue. "...because of the difficulties in their marriage." That was good. Clearly, the Lord needed specifics. "Now that he has moved out, his dear wife will need special strength..." And on it would go.

    I had all I could do to keep from laughing. On the other hand, what a wonderful way to keep everyone informed! They weren't gossiping, after all.

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  10. Ethymology is fascinating, isn't it! I had no idea where "gossip" comes from. In Italian, it is "pettegolezzo" - can't you just hear the chattering of the gossipping voices in that word?

    Single gloves. Sometimes one comes across one while out walking, placed on a fence or garden wall so that whoever has lost it and maybe comes that way again will find it easier. It always makes me think of the owner. What were they doing when they lost their glove? Why haven't they been back to pick it up yet? When it is a child's glove, the scene is easy to imagine. With an adult, less so.

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  11. -chuckle- I would have tutted along too so as not to distract from the flow of delicious gossip.
    Oh dear you too have things pretending to be things.

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  12. Ah Friko...you're my very own Duchess of Grantham. I do enjoy your highly sensible and slightly acerbic take on life.

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  13. Your visit sounds like fun.
    I do believe your Beloved provides his share of light relief.
    ".....pretending to be a plastic bag."
    BWAAAaaaaahahahahahahahahaha!

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  14. Enjoy ready your words.
    Gloves, I am constantly misplacing one
    Gossip, living in a small community
    there is always much going on.

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  15. We all need an odd bit of light relief now and then! And yes, there is that frustration of losing the single glove. You can't bear to toss the other (because you might find the first) and what sadness if it is a particularly good pair, not the dollar store kind! I have plenty of both because I have lost more than a few, always keeping a spare set in the car's glove compartment. Which is why they must call it the glove compartment -- never thought of that before, but I actually keep them there.

    I am reminded of the song Sancho Panza sings in "Man of La Mancha: -- A little gossip, a little chat, a little idle talk of this and that. I'll tell him all the troubles I have had and since he doesn't hear, at least he won't feel bad."

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  16. Funny, I lost a glove last week and its mate keeps reminding me of the loss. I won't throw it out for awhile just in case they call to each other and are reunited. :-)

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  17. I'm with you, Friko. Just this morning my other half was driving off with my phone and leaving his behind, which would have inconvenience both of us in one swoop.
    Funny how the Miss Marple persona exists in real life.
    And thank you for starting my day with a little art - I love all the Bruegels

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  18. I have to do the same thing whenever we get together with Marc's large family...go over in my mind who we are likely to see, their names and children got straight in my head. Also every year at the open house, pulling up names of people I only see once a year at best. My sister is the purveyor of gossip of what's happening on the Square in this small town. and when I still lived in the city, there was a man who lived across the street and down one who we called the mayor of Lawrence Street because he knew everything that went on on our block. Not all gossip is mean or scandalous but we do like to be scandalized now and then.

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  19. I had no idea where the word gossip came from! :) It truly is amazing how far that word traveled :)
    I hope you're doing well!
    Viele Grüße aus dem Süden Deutschlands :)

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  20. Words can certainly change meaning over time, that's for sure.
    Seems indelicate for the older gentleman to be on the hunt for a new wife so soon but I think men often do more poorly on their own than most women do. ;)

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  21. I loved reading this blog Friko - especially the last few lines - 'a glove pretending to be a plastic bag' brightened my day .

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  22. David keeps losing his hats and gloves. I lose my cane. As for gossip, the worst gossips I've known, spreading malicious tales, were women, but men gossip too. I wonder if its gossip when men do it? Love your nonsexist etymology of the word.

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  23. My line would be : a sock calling out for its sock. Gossip is the worst acid of all.

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  24. Thank heavens I can read posts like this and laugh and smile and marvel at your way with words. I wish all blogs were as interesting as yours. I love your "shorts." They are always just delightful. You should gather them all together and publish them.

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  25. It seems to me that you are talking about my neighbour just opposite our house ! She is a real Wikipedia and knows everything which is going on in the street and in the city ! I have to say that she sits the whole day at her window and knows exactly when we are going out and coming back !

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  26. Ha! We have no Prudence but we have a concierge at the front door of the house. She knows all gossips and can tell you a lot. Sometimes I listen to her 'news'.

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  27. A wonderful post!

    I've seen the meaning of some words change in just a couple of decades, such a short time really.

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  28. I once told a friend that if I were ever arrested for taking an axe to my husband, it would be because he'd misplaced his wallet one time too many. And now that his eyesight is not what it was AND he refuses to wear glasses except for reading . . . just as well there are no axes lying around the house.

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  29. How fascinating to read of the origins of the word 'gossip'. I love the Dutch proverb and the picture you put with it, and your Beloved sounds a real dear.

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  30. Getting caught up with you. Have been short on blog reading time. Great words for "gossips" out here on the edge: "Newsbags".

    And prices are going up while pension stays stagnant. Boo hiss.

    XO
    WWW

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  31. You packed so much into this post that I feel I've just eaten a delicious meal. And now I have a new author/book to look up, too!

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  32. Thanks again for a delightful blog. I have recently suffered the abomination of losing just one glove - and sadly there was no happy ending as it is definitely gone - and couldn't agree more with your observation.

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  33. Hi Friko - we all need light relief ... and I've one of CJ's books here recommended by another blogger ... so a good read ahead .. cheers from a warm, misty E/b - Hilary

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