Keeping secrets

Have you ever been privy to inside information?

Just the other night, a friend of mine told me that a mutual friend of ours was plotting to propose to his girlfriend before the holidays. After my shrieks of glee subsided, he followed up with this addendum:

"But DON'T TELL ANYONE I TOLD YOU!"

Easy, right? I swore to him I wouldn't.

Then came the tough part. I stumbled upon at least half a dozen people last week who asked about the friend - the one who's going to propose to his girlfriend - in question. For storytellling/C.Y.A. purposes, let's call him "Adam."

So have you seen Adam lately?

"Yes, yes I have. In fact, he's got something ******!"

I saw Adam the other day with his girlfriend. Oh, they're so cute together.

"Aren't they? Did you know that *******!"

Adam's a great a guy. Him and his girlfriend are like two peas in a pod.

"Yep, and it won't be long before ******!"

So, as a semi-trustworthy reporter, I've been told certain pieces of information that I am not at liberty to discuss. Like **** wanting a trade to ****. Jeez, I've never seen a guy want a trade so bad. It's so obvious. Or how about ****'s disenchantment with ****. And they're on the same freaking team. Or how about the ****? Nobody got along on that team. The worst, of course, has to be the stunt **** pulled on **** over the summer. I don't know how **** forgave him after that little episode, never mind how he got the gerbil out of there.

Ahhhhh. I feel much better.

Sometimes, keeping secrets is just waaaaay too hard.

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EDIT: Post-Christmas post-script - The buddy of mine who proposed to his girlfriend? She said yes.