Thing To Do Today: gossip.

Have you heard?

What?

She's only been and gone and done it.

No!

Oh yes. It's all over town. Three people have knocked on the door since dinner.

Oooohhhh.

I've been saying this'll happen for years, haven't I. That woman'll have that poor child done away with, I've said.

But...are you really sure...

I'll tell you this. The huntsman was seen coming home alone with a bag, yesterday. And it was dripping blood.

***

Gossip is great. It's useful. It's sometimes even necessary. It helps join us together. It helps us keep our consciences in good order.

It beats bottling things up, or thumping people.

And it needn't be nasty, so enjoy yourselves, do.

Ooh, and have you heard?

What?

Thing To Do Today: gossip. This word comes from the Old English godsibb, which means godparent. Later the word came to mean close friend, especially a friend who attended the birth of a child. From there it came to mean a woman fond of light talk, and then the act of talking itself.