Gossip. It’s just a harmless form of recreation. It’s careless talk that deals in polite fiction. It's nasty speculation that's based on not so polite fact. How do we protect ourselves from the venomous sting of such idle gossip? The best way is just to tell the truth and wait for people to start talking about someone else.

"A woman and a mouse, they carry a tale wherever they go."

"He's my friend who speaks well of me behind my back."

"To create an unfavourable impression, it is not necessary that certain things should be true, but that they have been said."

"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."