gossip

did you hear what happened?
your friend
Karen, pronounced, Car on,
tells you
over the phone.
no you say, flipping
through the paper,
do tell.
I can't, she says,
if you don't know yet,
I don't want to be
the one to let the cat
out of the bag.
Car on, you say, please,
you've released more
cats in your life
than the broadway show
cats. just tell me.
okay, she says, but you
have to swear that you
won't tell a soul,
not one single soul.
crossing my heart,
you tell her, going
to the fridge to see
if there is anything
to snack on. what
happened? well, our
mutual friend suzie, you
know suzie, the hair
dresser. yes, yes,
you say. suzie, botox
suzie. what?
well, she's dating
another woman.
I saw her at the movies
the other night, and
she was holding hands
with a woman. can you
believe it?
pffft, you say, it's kind
of exciting. you peel
a banana and begin to
eat it.
whatever, she says. you
are not even the least
bit shocked? nah.
I think it's fine. whatever
people want to do.
I've got my own life to
worry about, you say,
dipping the banana into
a jar of chocolate.