The Gossip of Tampani, Georgia

   The Gossip of Tampani Georgia

Suzanne Marsh

Miss Marigold Finley, her figure jaunting along the main street of Tampani, Georgia. Marigold was by now, as everyone knew, the town gossip. Marigold was on a walk about to visit several of her friends, one of which she hoped would offer her lunch. She had a very busy week, with the passing of her father, the town doctor, Alden Finley. Somehow, nothing seemed the same with her father’s presences. Marigold grew up in a plantation home near Savannah. There were beautiful gardens that her dearly departed father had nurtured. Roses, she had placed on his casket from his very own garden. Here she was now that last of the Finley’s. Her first stop of the day was to Maybelle Mitchell. Maybelle always had some sort of gossip; she could relate to Marigold. Most of the gossip had been very accurate, but now that Maybelle had become, ‘what was the word?’ senile. The gossip had ended for the moment. Marigold, rang the old-style doorbell, Maybelle’s daughter answered:

“Hello, Miss Marigold, how are you?”

“Oh, plugging along Nancy, plugging along.”

“I was so sorry to hear about your dear father.”

“Thank you, Nancy, he is in a better place now.”

“Mother is resting, could you return later?”

“Yes, Nancy, I can return around three, will that be all right?”

“That would be fine.”

Marigold’s next stop was Viola MacIntosh. Surely, Viola would have some juicy gossip. When Marigold arrived, Viola was in tizzy. Viola, was the same age as Marigold and Maybelle, white haired, with blue eyes and a very excitable nature. Marigold had never seen Viola in such a state. Viola, let Marigold into the living room:

“Oh, dear heavens Marigold, I don’t know what to do.”

“Calm down Viola, whatever it is it can’t be that bad.”

“Oh, yes it can and it is.”

“Would you care to talk about it.”

“Yes, but please don’t blab it all over town.”

“I promise.” Marigold crossed her fingers behind her back. She hoped whatever was agitating Viola, the story could be embellished while being subtle. Gossip was Marigold’s primary pleasure. She had heard some good ones in her day. Viola, began to sob once again, Marigold patted her back, waiting for her to begin:

“Oh, Marigold, do you remember Casper Martin?”

“Yes, I ah believe so. Why?”

“He asked me to marry him.”

Marigold’s huge blue eyes flew open in shock. She thought to herself: ‘I wonder why she is crying; this is good news.’ Viola continued between sobs:

“I... I can’t marry him. I just can’t.”

“Viola, you have wanted to marry him for as long as I have known you. Why can’t you

you marry him? It is clear that the two of you belong together.”

“I can’t marry him, because of daddy.”

“What has he got to do with anything?”

“Plenty, he had an affair with Maggie White, years ago.” This was like pulling teeth from a chicken. Marigold could not see any connection between Viola and Casper and daddy dearest. Once again Viola began to wail. Marigold knew something was really wrong here. The question was what? She had known Viola since they were in grade school, they were now in their late sixties. Marigold hoped Viola would tell her the whole story. It would certainly make for a good gossip secession all over town. Marigold “Hello Casper, yes, I can be ready in twenty minutes.” Marigold was shocked:

“Viola, you can’t go away with Casper, that is against the laws of God and nature.”

“Marigold, I am going. I have to get ready; I will send you a postcard from wherever we

go.”

Marigold left Viola’s; she decided to return to Maybelle’s she had to share this with someone, it might as well be Maybelle.

Maybelle’s residence was several streets away, giving Marigold time to think about the gossip she had just heard. When she arrived Maybelle was sitting on the front porch with a glass of cold lemonade.

“Maybelle, I have to tell you something but you must promise not to say a word to

anyone.” Maybelle loved a good story:

“Oh, lovely, who is it about?”

“Casper White and Viola. They are running away together, at their ages.”

That got Maybelle’s attention.

“Why are they running away? They don’t want to advertise they are getting married.”

“Maybelle, they can’t get married, Casper is her half brother. Her daddy had an affair with

Maggie White got her pregnant about the same time as he did his wife. He is named the

the old man’s will as his son and primary heir.”

News spread quickly in Tampani. The gossip by then was old news. One afternoon as Marigold was talking her usual constitutional she noticed a drape move slightly in Viola’s home. Then she saw what she thought was an apparition, it wasn’t it was Viola. Viola, motioned Marigold over:

“Marigold, I told you not to blab what I told you all over town. I asked you specifically not

to do that. Casper, knew the truth all along, so we eloped and were married in Niagara Falls.

How could you betray me like that? Casper and I have to live here the same as you.”

Marigold was stunned as she stammered:

“I am sorry Viola, but somehow it just came out of my mouth when I visited with Maybelle.”

“Oh, I can imagine. I don’t think we can be friends any longer Marigold, I can’t and won’t

ever trust you again.”

d did not anticipate what tumbled out of Viola’s mouth next:

“Viola, get a hold yourself. It can’t be all of that bad.”

Viola, tears streaming down her withered face:

“Oh, yes Marigold. Casper is my half brother.”

Marigold’s mouth dropped open as she gasped:

“Your half brother? How?” That sound dumb even by Marigold’s standards.

“My half-brother. Daddy had an affair with that Maggie White, while my mama was

pregnant with me. He got her pregnant. Maggie had a hard life raising Casper with

no help from anyone. Daddy, when he found out I was seeing Casper told me the truth.

It was the only decent thing he ever did. Anyway, he made me promise to never tell anyone

and also NOT TO MARRY CASPER.”

Viola, shuddered as she continued:

“Daddy, was a drunken old sot, he and mama were always fighting about money. I thought

things could not get any worse, well they sure did. Daddy left a will, in it Casper is named

as his son. I have to tell Casper no, once more.”

Viola collapsed in Marigold’s arms. Marigold had no idea what to say to how to help her friend. She also wondered how she could not gossip about this at least with Maybelle. The gossip was just to good to not tell someone. First, however she had to calm Viola down, there had to be more to this story, there just had to be. Marigold remembered that taking long drinks of water was soothing. She proceeded to the kitchen, ran the water until it was cool, then filled the glass with water. She returned to Viola’s sitting room and handed her the glass of water:

“Dad always said that a good drink of cold water was very soothing, Viola drink some please.

You are working yourself up to a heart attack.”

That made Viola cry even harder. Marigold was beside herself, Viola was her friend, she had to help her. Finally, in between sobs Viola finally regained her composure:

“I simply don’t know how to refuse Casper again. I had no idea he was my half brother.

Leave it to dad to mess my life up even from the grave.”

The phone rang as Viola sprang to answer it: “Hello, Casper, yes, I can be ready in twenty minutes.”

Marigold was mortified to think Viola was going to run off with her half brother. It simply was not done, not in a small town like Tampani.

“Marigold, I have to dress and be ready to leave so I must ask to you leave.”

Marigold, nodded as she walked toward the door. Her first stop was Maybelle’s, this was just to juicy a piece of gossip to not tell someone. Marigold was bursting as she arrived at Maybelle’s. She found Maybelle sitting on the front porch sipping a tall icy glass of lemonade. Maybelle could see the agitation in Marigold’s face:

“Marigold, what has got you fussiing so?”

“Viola and Casper are getting married.”

“That’s nice, are we invited to the wedding?”

“No, they are eloping, I have no idea where. They can’t marry, Casper is her half-brother.”

“Casper is what?”

“Casper is Viola’s half brother, her daddy had an affair with Maggie White got her pregnant

as well as Viola’s mama. They are only two weeks apart in age. Viola, thought I suppose.

that it would be all right now, since they are older and there is no chance of pregnancy.”

Maybelle was fascinated with the story. Once again the gossip began to run amok in Tampani. Neighbors telling friends until it spread to every corner of town.

Two years later Marigold was taking her daily constitutional when she noted one of the green velvet curtains move just slightly. Curious, Marigold approached. The door flew open standing there was Viola, an angry Viola:

“Marigold, what I told you in confidence has made the rounds of the entire town. I can’t

even go outside without at least several neighbors asking questions that are no ones

business but mine. How could you do something so mean? I thought we were friends.”

Marigold, was caught, her mouth had finally gotten her into trouble she could not repair.

“I am sorry Viola, I only told Maybelle. I have no idea who she told.”

“I don’t care who you told or who spread it, Casper and I have to live in this town too.

I don’t think we can be friends any longer Marigold, I can’t trust you.”

Viola, slammed the door in Marigold’s face. Marigold stood there for several moments stunned, that Viola would not be her friend any longer. She felt horrible but who knew maybe Viola would change her mind one day. Somehow that seemed doubtful, she had hurt her friend just to gossip about something was really was none of her business.