Kissing a Cow; Part II

This is a continuation from:

I'm a Gossip; Kissing a Cow

    A quick recap, I told Yoda (my writing mentor) that I have a problem with gossiping and I want to stop.  She replied with the most sensible thing ever, "Mrs. O'Leary kissed a cow. To each their own taste I always say."  It was so beautiful--sooooo perfect. To each their own! We're all different, so why judge?!

    I loved Yoda's line so much, I vowed to use it on someone else.  I spent the day listening for gossip.  I hovered over the Scribe and Hippie.  I clung to all of Cade's words.  And I have to say it was disappointing because no one around here gossips, except me!

    That's when things got drastic.  I started poisoning the well.  "Did you hear about so and so?" I asked all three of them.

    "No."  They walked away and I followed.

    "Well. Sally told me that Suzy said, blah blah blah."

    All three of them just shrugged and wouldn't even join in.  Didn't they know how cool it would be if they gossiped and I reprimanded them with "the line?!"  I'd spent a whole day WAITING for them to gossip, and now the golden moment came . . . and nothing!

    "I said . . ." I cleared my throat and neared the Scribe.  "Sally told me that Suzy said--"

    "Mom," the Scribe interrupted me, "that isn't very nice."

    I felt sinful--terribly sinful.  Have you ever tried getting a ten-year-old to gossip?  It isn't the best plan, not really.  It wasn't the moment I was waiting for, but I took the opportunity anyway.  "You know, you're right," I said.  "You've grown up so much and realized, gossip isn't nice.  After all, Mrs. O'Leary kissed a cow. To each their own taste I always say."  It was a defining moment.  I felt so proud of myself.  I could use the line just like Yoda had.  Now the Scribe would always remember this--how gossip is cruel and mean.  How we shouldn't talk badly about others!

    I was a hero until the Scribe gaped.  "Why would someone kiss a cow?"

    "Maybe she loved it.  I don't know.  But that isn't the point. It's that we're all different, God made us that way, so--"

    "It's still weird she kissed a cow.  Who would do something like that?  Talk about a weirdo.  What bothers me more, is that you think it's okay!  First you want to talk about what Sally told Suzy and NOW it's okay to kiss cattle?!"

    Then my daughter, that gem of a child sneaked over to Cade and whispered, "Did you hear what Mama just said, that O'Leary did with a cow.  It was just weird.  And to think, my mom, who I've always looked up to . . . Blah blah blah." 

   It was a moment I'll never forget, just not in the way I'd hoped for.  And to think, I thought they never gossiped!  


  P. S. I'm feeling better today. Thank you for all of your kind comments.