The Rumor

The Rumor

“I heard a rumor.”

“Is that a bird?” Alex asked.

“No,” his new babysitter, Tina, said chuckling, “I said ‘rumor’ that means someone telling something that may or may not be true.”

“Like if dinosaurs and people lived together?”

“What?”

“Somebody said dinosaurs and people never lived at the same time. But it was so long ago. I think they were just guessing.”

“Oh. Well, I think it’s more than just guessing with scientists, they really try hard to get things right. But they are wrong sometimes.”

“Really? Scientists can be wrong?”

“Of course. Things seem to be absolutely true, and then someone finds some new stuff, information, artifacts, something and suddenly it doesn’t seem absolutely true anymore.”

“Then what happens?”

“They all start checking again. Scientists are always trying to find out the real truth.”

“Wow, I never want to be a scientist. I don’t even like doing my homework over when it’s wrong. So, what were you talking about?”

“Scientists?”

“No, when you said you heard a rumor, what is a rumor again?”

“Somebody telling you something that may or may not be true, sneakily”

“Something sneaky?”

“No, they just tell you as if it is a secret, because they don’t know either.”

“Why?”

“Because it sounds exciting, I guess…”

“OK, what?”

“Huh?”

“What did you want to tell me that was a rumor?”

“Huh, I can’t remember…”

“Well, I’m going to go do my homework now,” off he went.

Tina just sat there. She was still sitting there when Alex’s mother got home.

“He got to you, didn’t he?” his mom said.

“I have no idea what we were even talking about now…” Tina said.

“And that’s why I double the babysitting price… Will you work for us again?”

“Double?” Tina said, suddenly smiling again, “You bet!!”