to not want to hear really awful gossip

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I need to learn to how to stop neighbourhood gossips from telling me things I don't want to hear.

There was a really tragic teenage death very close by at the weekend. Its awful. A lady who is not very discrete at the best of times ran up to me just as we passed the huge pile of flowers and without warning gave me the full neighbourhood gossip on what had happened.

I know this stuff gets passed on but I really hate gossip and I think that it would devastate his parents and friends to hear what was being said without any factual basis.

Lady was in full flow cos she then went on to ask whether any one had moved into 'the old mans house across from' me. The old man was a good friend of mine who died last year.

She leaves me flabberghasted with those sort of conversations and my brain works too slowly to think of anything that will halt the thoughtless flow of words.

Oh god we have a woman in my office like this

I have taken to looking bemused and disinterested when she starts yacking

I'd love to come out with a clever one liner but tbh don't think she's worth the breath

Some people have nothing in their life but gossip

I know someone like this. She has to know exactly what everyone else is up to but will not divulge information about herself or her children.

I find it best to try to keep walking if I see her and just say hello.

If I do get into conversation, I do not give her any information about myself or mutual friends who she is bound to want to try to find out about.

This is the hard bit, but try not to pass on any of the gossip she tells you.

Could you hold your hand up and say enough, before walking off?

Sorry you lost a friend, .

It can be really hard to shake them off can't it! I couldn't believe that this lady actually ran after me this morning. Its such an awful thing anyway, dd and I walked past mourning teenagers last night, so why people would want to pass on rubbish about it....?
(it makes me really teary to think of how sad they all were )

Desperate - you are so right about not passing on stuff, theres no way I would pass on things she has said to me.

I hate to think what she says about me, we are colleagues in a voluntary group, I dropped out at short notice a couple of months ago because I was struggling with balancing life and health and she supported me through a period of depression a few years ago. Its dawning on me that everyone must know. Shes always asking about my medication and what has the doctor said etc...

NAB - I'm going to have to try a technique like that.
Its ok about the friend thanks. It was last March, I do miss him but have lovely memories. He was very poorly (obviously!)