A Good Day
I am proud of myself today. I could have heard some gossip about a neighbor, but I didn't. I am proud of my friend, too. She was in possession of this spicy bit, but didn't tell me about it. It was hard on both of us--her knowing and my wanting to know.
We were talking, this friend and I, and our neighbor's name was mentioned. My friend looked at me a bit quizzically and asked me if I liked her. I said that I did, very much.
"Oh," she said, "I used to, but I don't know, now. I saw something the other day..."
I waited for her to go on, but she didn't. She was waiting for me to ask, but I didn't. So we both just stood there, and didn't say anything at all.
I was curious about what she had seen, and could scarcely keep from asking. I weighed in my mind whether anything she could tell me would discolor my feelings for this neighbor. I decided that I would like her just as much no matter what my friend said. But I knew that what I heard now would come into my mind when I saw her again.
I don't know what went on in my friend's mind, but she must have struggled hard, for she loved to talk.
And so we took our leave of each other.
Later that day I met my good neighbor, for whom I still felt the same affection because I hadn't listened to some gossip about her. I was happy that there was nothing unfavorable to her to pop into my mind.
Yes, I am proud of myself, and of my friend, too.