Rumors Spread

Walking to breakfast, the bro counselors were fist bumping me. “Hell yeah.”

My mind was still hazy from bourbon and vodka. I just accepted and moved on. The gator roared down the hill. Cass drifted to a stop, spraying gravel, “What did your dumbass do?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“I just heard from the Mainers up there that you fucked Deb while Sal watched and jerked off.”

Oh fuck. Dear Jesus. I’m sorry I’m a dumbass. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.

I shook my head, “No way. I haven’t fucked Deb. She’s old enough to be my mom.”

Cass poked her finger into my chest, “Get a better lie. Your ass is about to get fired! The director can’t have everyone thinking he’s a cuck.”

“If they fire me, everyone will know he’s a cuck.”

“Keep your mouth shut. You’re the only reason I don’t sabotage this place. Try to look like a loser. Like it’s the most ludicrous rumor ever….that look on your face is a good start.”

I walked into the early breakfast which was mostly operations staff. The head cook waved me back. He had a special plate set to the side for me.

He whispered, “How was that rich bitch’s pussy?”

I couldn’t help myself: “For being so little, she was loose.”

He howled with laughter. Pounded me on the back. “I fucking love you man. I’m sorry this will be the last day we work together.”

I came out of the kitchen with my steak and eggs. The operations staff, the lowest on the totem pole, made up of local hourly workers and Eastern Europeans working for room and board, cheered me like a God.

I didn’t deny it. I answered every question honestly. Everyone listened. I was the Star. It was a wake. Everyone was paying their respect.

Hugs. High fives. Words of loss. “We’ll miss you. You worked hard.”

Everyone thought I was about to die.

Amanda stepped into the doorway of the dining hall. Clipboard in hand. She yelled my name. And then looked around like she didn’t know what I looked like.

When I stood up, she waved me too her.

Everyone booed.

“Keep him!”

“He’s a good worker.”

“It’s not his fault the director likes to watch his wife get fucked.”

Out of the deck, Amanda growled between her teeth, “What the fuck did you say last night?”

“Uh. I made a joke to Maggie. Apparently the joke became a rumor.”

“A joke?”

She waited for me to lie.

I couldn’t. “I was drunk after the bourbon. Deb made a comment. I made a smart comment.”

She stopped in her tracks, “Wait. Did you really fuck my cousin!?”

I stuttered but was honest, “I made a lot of bad decisions before you agreed to our date.”

She pointed at me, “Do not make this my fault!”

“No! It’s all my fault. My dumb decision. My loose tongue. I fucked this up.”

We stepped into Sal’s office. Door closed.

Sal. Deb. Amanda.

Sal started in right away, “We are letting you go. Here is a check for your remaining unpaid hours. Maggie will drive you to the airport.”

I went to grab the check. Consequences for my actions.

Amanda’s arm held me back.

She asked, “Did you tell him to come to your house and have sex with you? One of your employees? Now you are firing him because the information got out?”

Sal flatly said, “He’s not a culture fit. Late from curfew multiple times. Drunk on campus.”

Deb stayed silent.

Amanda raised her eyebrows. She wasn’t backing down from her cousin’s husband. This was her family’s camp. Not his.

She grabbed a pen from his desk. “When you get to the bus station, call this lawyer. Specializes in unlawful terminations and sexual harassment. Then call this number: this journalist will have a field day with a young male coerced into sex and then fired because it got out.”

She handed with the card with the names and numbers. Even changed from her pocket for the call.

Sal said, “This isn’t about some rumor. He was clearly drunk when he came back from curfew last night. That’s against camp rules. A fire able offense.”

Deb broke from the party line, “You’re just jealous that he fucked me first.”

Amanda smiled, “Thanks for admitting it in front of witnesses. That will help his case.”

The little woman stood up, “What do you want!? How are you going to solve this problem? The whole camp knows he fucked me while Sal watched!”

Amanda said, “Don’t fire him. That will make the whole thing worst. The first think you should do is stop fucking counselors! If he makes a lawsuit, how many other former employees will come out of the woodwork?”

That shut Sal up. He looked at me, “Maybe you should go back to work. Stay silent to any rumors you hear.”

I stood up and left. I was dumb but smart enough to know when others had it handled. I couldn’t wait to thank Amanda.

Cass picked me up outside the office, “You’re still breathing?”

“Of course. I didn’t fuck Deb while Sal watched. Who would believe that dumb rumor.”

We sped away and started our day.

I kept my eye out for Amanda. Ready to fall to my knees to thank her.