Secrets

I have been thinking lately about how naïve people can be when it comes their thinking they can get away with things.  It is surprising to me how many people get caught doing stuff when they think no one would ever find out when, in fact, it is blatantly obvious they would get caught.

There are obvious examples of people cheating on their spouses/partners and getting found out.  If the spouse/partner getting cheated on pays attention in the least little way, there are always telltale signs that infidelity is happening.  Especially when it is multiple times with multiple people such as with Tiger Woods.  The only person I ever heard about who got away with it was Charles Kuralt (the former anchor of CBS Sunday Morning).  He managed to have a secret life for years that no one knew about.  That is until he died.  Then the other woman came forward and everyone found out.  So he didn’t get away with it completely.  He just didn’t have to deal with the repercussions.

Another example is the woman who pretended to be a man for her whole adult life.  I don’t know if you remember this and I don’t remember his/her name but what I do remember is that she wanted to be in a band and disguised herself as a man to do so (back in the 40’s I believe). I think she played the trumpet or something.  Anyway, she met a woman when she was pretending to be a man, fell in love and they got married.  They never had sex.  His/her wife had medical issues that made sex impossible for her (too painful) and he/she made an excuse about medical issues that would preclude him/her from sex.  They adopted children together and lived their lives as a happy married couple.  Until he/she became sick.  His/her grown children begged their father to get medical help but he/she refused.  Finally he/she collapsed.  When the paramedics arrived and examined their father, they were informed that their father was a woman.  One son called their mother up and told her and she was surprised but not surprised.  It certainly explained a great deal about their lives.  I don’t believe his/her wife or children ever got to really ask him/her about it because I believe he/she never regained consciousness and died.  But it is a fine example of how nothing is ever kept secret.

What has lead me to think about all of this is that I know someone whose huge ego is making them think they are getting away with something.  They are trying to do something but so many people are aware of what is happening it is kind of laughable that the person thinks they are getting away with it. What amazes me is that person has been overheard talking yet they STILL think it is a big secret.  Does this person think that when they talk they have a “cone of silence” (as in Get Smart) around them and no one can hear them?

Like I said, people are incredibly naïve about keeping secrets.  It is just amazing to me.  And it is entertaining when the truth finally comes out.  Because then you can say, “what were you thinking????”  That is almost as fun to say as “I told you so!”.