As a mom, you hear yourself teaching your kids lessons all the time, knowing that you may not always follow. “Lay off the junk food” and you pick up a pack of Sour Patch Kids at checkout. “Be active” while you plant your ass on the couch for a Homeland marathon. And the most recent lesson I ignored, “Don’t talk behind people’s backs.”
When it comes to gossip, I am not going to lie. It’s like chocolate cake, I don’t turn it down, and I will share it with the husband. I believe even the most lovely people, good people, philanthropic people, are chatting away about the latest town scandal, the most recent nips and tucks of their friends, or the latest divorce.
So when I recently heard a story about an endship (end of friendship), I shared it with Scott. He actually listens to me sometimes, and I like to get the male perspective. I go through the story, detail by detail. A few minutes later I receive a text from a friend –
“Huh?”
I call her, “What’s up?” “Not sure,” she responds. “I got your text?” “I sent you a text?” I check my phone, and in messages is a long text I apparently sent to her. The first line is a clear telling of the gossip, and after that just bits and pieces of information make sense.
Siri, who seems all innocent and helpful when you ask her for the answer to your kid’s math question, voice texted everything I was saying to Scott, to my friend!! When I said my friend’s name in the story, Siri took her from contacts, and began recording and texting everything I said. (Did I mention I was sitting on my phone?)
Thank g-d it was to her, and not the person I was talking about!! But the reality is, if I had been busted, it would have been my fault. I was repeating a story that had nothing to do with me. I constantly tell my kids to butt out of people’s business, to not talk about their friends, and I was guilty on so many levels.
So a lesson for this mom. Ease up on the gossip, and don’t trust Siri. She is loyal to no one. “Siri, text Siri, You suck Siri!” And yes, “confirm and send.”
*I have a thing for Siri, check out Oh My God! I Think My Husband Is Siri
Now that’s a real butt dial!