Over yonder in a little, flyspeck town known as Mudville, the nice folks all pretty much got on well and fine…or so they thought.
You see, there was this smiley, friendly, little ol’ lady, and Sue Belle was her name. She had a certain way about her and befriended just about everyone, including the local elected officials – in particular, this one young councilman by the name of Warren, whom she liked a whole bunch. They were buddies of a kind. They went out together a whole lot, not so much as a couple, but as small town friends. They were seen together frequently having lunch at the drug store and sitting for spells chatting about this that and the other over at the town’s only barbershop.
So, everything was dandy, or so thought Warren. But Sue Belle had other plans. One day, she hid a tape recorder right inside her voluminous brassiere, snuggled up to Warren and got him to say some things that might be interpreted as, well, not quite right. Next thing you know, she was off to the local constabulary, just proud as a peacock that she might have gotten her best buddy to say something egregious. But things didn’t go quite how she had hoped. The police said that Warren didn’t do anything wrong, and sent Sue Belle on her merry little way.
For years, Sue Belle and Warren continued to be friends, going places together, and of course, chatting about everything under the sun in tiny little Mudville. They chatted about pests in the council hall, the undergarment lost-and-found, other people, and from time to time, other politicians.
Now for some reason or other, some say a conversation, others say a tip-off, Sue Belle went back to the police and told them that maybe her longtime friend, Councilman Warren, just might truly be involved in some shenanigans. So before too long, there was a court order and Sue Belle agreed to tape record phone conversations that she was having with her good friend.
So, as these things happen, Sue Belle called her buddy and was tape recording him for the second time in as many years, and told him that she was going to “help out” Fred, their mutual friend, who also happened to be the chairman of the town council. Now, Warren, being perhaps wise beyond his years, realized that the “help” Sue Belle was suggesting was, well, illegal, so he just listened and didn’t respond. Soon thereafter, Sue Belle found out that her little trap didn’t work and she was mighty disappointed that was the case. But, she didn’t stop there, no siree – thank you very much.
Sue Belle was sure she could come up with something illicit, and she persisted. Finally, based upon recorded conversations that she had with Fred, the council chairman was arrested.
Warren became a better person upon finding out that Sue Belle had tried to get him twice and failed twice. And Fred, who many thought of as one of the nicest guys in town, learned a very valuable lesson. Many weren’t, and still aren’t, really sure what to say about Sue Belle, now that just about everyone knows what she did to two of her friends.
Anyway, business got good for the lawyers, as is often the case in these matters. And of course the rumor mill, which went into overdrive with Fred’s arrest, still hasn’t quite slowed down.
Folks do want things to return to normal. But, everyone knows that things will never quite be the same in Mudville, as they wonder how many of their phone calls, sit-downs or face-to-face chats over at the barber shop may have been recorded by smiley, friendly, little ol’ Sue Belle.
Thought of the Day: Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.
—Anonymous Got any tips? Contact me at 305-669- 7355, ext. 249, or send emails to <Michael@communitynewspapers.com>.
