# A Surprise



## Misty Mirrors (May 31, 2014)

*Gossip (formerly "A Surprise")*

This is a true story. Only the names have been changed. I welcome all comments  ... good or bad.



GOSSIP

Fritz met a young health professional in an employment agency. She told him: "Some people, especially women, use gossip to destroy people."

Ten years later Fritz met a lady named Joan at a conference in Townsville, a regional town in the north of Australia. All the board members and all the staff of the CLMO companies had been invited. Joan used Fritz to impress a group of women. Fritz was annoyed. He thought she is a Lesbian or bisexual.

Soon afterwards, at a dinner of the Catenians Society a fellow member came up to Fritz and asked, "Are you a trustee of the CLMO board?" Fritz was surprised. The CLMO company has nothing to do with the Catenians, which is a Catholic club. The fellow member explained: "Joan is a friend of my family!" He and Joan had talked about the company at a lunch. She had made a comment about a trustee named Fritz. Fritz is an unusual name in Australia. * 

A few weeks later, at a CLMO board meeting in Sydney, Joan prepared the electronic equipment. The chair person walked up to her and greeted her. Fritz happened to stand nearby. He noticed that they seemed to know each other well. He overheard Joan saying to the chair that he is a Christian. The chair halted for a while before she continued talking. Fritz thought this was insignificant. * 

Time passed. After a while Fritz noticed that the chair opposed him whenever he put a motion. He was perplexed. * 

After a two years a thought came to him. He had suspected the chair of being bisexual for a while. She carefully hid it from heterosexuals by showing them pictures of her "lovely" granddaughter. Does the chair hate Christians? In the bible it states that God disapproved of sex between two persons of the same gender. Many protestant denominations perhibit such relationships. Catholics oppose the marriage of homosexuals. They encourage gays, Lesbians and bisexual not to practise sex with the same gender. * 

Did Joan deliberately tell the chair about Fritz's Christianity? Was her gossip planned. Had she purposely created trouble for Fritz?
.


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## Pandora (Jun 5, 2014)

Hey Misty, Fitz is having a hard time. He is playing office politics yes? and something much deeper and more sinister. 

Not much I despise more than gossip and the spreading of rumor. Spoken by those who don't understand, who because they are unlike or don't like intended victim, speak off color of them. If you are a person who won't partake in that, talking bad behind someone's back, you are immediately on the opposite side as well , a target yourself. I always think if others only knew how the most trusted popular people talk about them and others cruelly, when they are not privy, how that would change the games people play, for the better I would assume. I am of the belief that one day everyone answers, feels, the hurt they have caused, known or otherwise. Surprise surprise.

We can wish that people would respect each others beliefs and choices, beyond that, open our hearts and understand. Once you love someone you understand them and those similar, love is enlightening.

I can't help but notice two challenges these thoughts could have worked into. Opposites and Conversation. I think they could have been good additions. Your story telling style is genuine. It is thought provoking with good subject matter and message. I always enjoy! Thank you!


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## Misty Mirrors (Jun 5, 2014)

Thank you, Pandora.


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## Ethan (Jun 11, 2014)

Hi Misty,
 I found the information... informative and intriguing enough, but  I struggled a bit with the style. Short sentences can be useful but I found their overuse a little off putting and for me it made the story choppy and disjointed, this in turn left me feeling it was a report on proceedings rather than engaging me in Fritz's problems. Perhaps this is a foreword or scene setter, in which case, just ignore everything I just said. Having said all that; it was curiously addictive and set a tone, where you go with it I shall watch with interest.


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## Misty Mirrors (Jun 12, 2014)

Hello Ethan.
Thank you very much for your feedback.
The story was originally a free verse poem. I decided to translate it to a short story. I didn't take enough care.
Thank you very much again.
I rewrote it. Is it better now?


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## Ethan (Jun 14, 2014)

Hey Misty,
I have taken the liberty of suggesting a different way of telling the story, this is just an example to give you the idea. Rather than state a lot of factual information, try and incorporate the information into  an unfoldin thread. Anyway I hope this helps.

Fritz left the Centre for Catholic studies earlier than usual. Although he generally enjoyed the cut and thrust of the usual after meditation conversation, he had an important Board meeting, as a Trustee, his attendance was compulsory.
It was a meeting Fritz wasn’t looking forward to. He had become aware that there was some opposition to his proposals and most of it came from Joan. Somehow Fritz knew the animosity stemmed from an incident some months earlier. 
What had began as an open and friendly discussion on religion which rapidly deteriorated, as these thing do, when homosexuality became the point of contention.
Fritz had become aware, from her embittered responses when he quoted biblical verse that Joan had taken exception, and from that moment on Fritz found himself becoming more isolated as Joans closest associate was also Chair of the board.


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## Ethan (Jun 14, 2014)

Hey Misty,
I have taken the liberty of suggesting a different way of telling the story, this is just an example to give you the idea. Rather than state a lot of factual information, try and incorporate the information into  an unfoldin thread. Anyway I hope this helps.

Fritz left the Centre for Catholic studies earlier than usual. Although he generally enjoyed the cut and thrust of the usual after meditation conversation, he had an important Board meeting, as a Trustee, his attendance was compulsory.
It was a meeting Fritz wasn’t looking forward to. He had become aware that there was some opposition to his proposals and most of it came from Joan. Somehow Fritz knew the animosity stemmed from an incident some months earlier. 
What had began as an open and friendly discussion on religion which rapidly deteriorated, as these thing do, when homosexuality became the point of contention.
Fritz had become aware, from her embittered responses when he quoted biblical verse that Joan had taken exception, and from that moment on Fritz found himself becoming more isolated as Joans closest associate was also Chair of the board.


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## Misty Mirrors (Jun 15, 2014)

Thank you Ethan.

I think you converted the story in an easy flowing tale. 
At the moment I am busy with another non-fictional story. When I am finished with it I will revise this story.
Thank you very much again.
I hope you enjoy your music.

Regards
Misty


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## Misty Mirrors (Jun 16, 2014)

Hello Everyone.

I have rewritten my short story as a tale.

What do you think?

Regards
Misty


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