John was going home from his office when he found in the street at the door one of his coworkers, Patty, a good looking woman, who always wore shoes with very high heels (8 inches). She wanted to look taller. But she had just broken one of his stilettos and stayed helpless, her back resting to the concrete of the building.
She wasn’t very popular at the office because she was rather selfish, so people passed by her without noticing her trouble.
But John was a courteous man and asked her what the matter was.
-One of my heels has broken. I can’t walk, she said embarrassed.
Then John offered her his arm and told her:
-I’ll help you to reach the bus
-Thanks.
Patty began to walk hanged to the arm of John, concealing the absence of her heel, with lots of dignity, until they arrived at the bus station. Then John said goodbye very politely and followed his way to the subway.
Nex day, Patty began to show very nicely with John at the office, and the coworkers who had witnessed the day before the two of them walking together arm in arm began to gossip.
-these two have something going on.
The rumor spread, and a few days later, there was common knowledge in the office that John and Patty were in love, although they didn’t show up together anymore.
John Was a married man father of two, with a happy family.
-How can he do that to his wife?
said a secretary of the boss
-All the men are the same when they see skirts, answered her companion.
-We should warn Elisa, his wife.
-Don’t complicate things more. If John wants to have a mistress, it’s his problem, not ours.
But poor woman, she is at home waiting for him with her kids and he chasing women at work.
John wasn’t aware of the rumors, but he noticed a change of attitude of some of his colleagues.
A week after the incident, his best friend joined him for lunch.
-John, I have to talk seriously with you.
-OK
-Patty is a frivolous woman. No good for you.
-Patty?
-It’s not worthy of cheating on Elisa for such a woman. You have at home everything a man can dream of a beautiful woman who loves you and two cute kids. Don’t spoil it.
-What’s this all about?
-Your story with Patty, of course, everybody in the office knows that you two have a thing.
-Where did you get that from?
People have seen you going out arm in arm, and very friendly at the office when she behaves like a Sargent with everybody else.
Look, I offered my arm to Patty one day because she had broken his shoe and couldn’t walk. Period. There is nothing between us. I would never cheat on Elisa. She’s my wife, and I love her more than my life.
-But everybody at the office thinks you are in love with Patty
-Everybody in the office is wrong. And how on earth they reached that conclusion?
-there were rumors
-they are false
-What can we do?
When the time of lunch finished, John, who was pretty angry, entered the office, climbed on a table and clapped loudly to attract the attention of everybody.
-I just have learned that there are rumors that I’m cheating my wife, and I’m in love with Patty. It’s completely wrong. I offered my arm to Patty a few days ago because she had broken his shoe and couldn’t walk. That’s all. I don’t know who spread those rumors against me, but they are entirely false. And I want to stop them right now. For God’s sake, they could ruin my family!
Then he stepped down from the table and went to his desk to work in the middle of deep silence.
Patty came to him very angry:
-You embarrassed me.
-I don’t know-how. I only told what happened. It was a very ordinary incident.
Many people at the office didn’t believe him and stick to the rumors, but when they saw that Patty avoided John, in her anger. Later it treated him like everyone else. Then most of the coworkers began to convince themselves that all was indeed a very dangerous rumor.
Human nature is to assume the most salacious things about the people they know, especially when it comes to office politics.
that’s very true