Rumour

When I was in high school, like when anyone was in high school, rumours were spread frequently and thoughtlessly. Many of the rumours were disparagement of some, the aggrandizement of others, and many were just there for the entertainment and confusion of the masses. Young and imaginative minds were always eager to create, repurpose, and redistribute.

One of my favorite rumours was that there were dead bodies hidden in the ceilings. I'm sure that this rumour circulated throughout other schools, and it wouldn't have made any sense at those schools either. Even in a high school the smells would be noticed, and at least at mine the ceilings were pretty flimsy. One day, one of my more mischievous classmates sought to determine the validity of this rumour. Our teacher stepped out of the classroom for a few minutes one day, and in this short time, desks and chairs were stacked, and the student was able to get to the ceiling and peer above the ceiling tiles. Sure enough, rumour proved to be nothing more than rumour; all of the bodies in the ceiling were still alive and well.