Small village rumours

[Green Aura]

Well the New Year is getting off to a good start here. I mentioned elsewhere that we're nearing completion on a property in our village to provide our daughter with somewhere to live and a means of earning a living.

Well the rumour mongers are out, speculating that our gal has already started that by having 300 dope plants growing in the, currently empty property.

We haven't actually been in the property yet - it's a 200 mile round trip to get the keys. But we know these buildings really well which is why we felt able to put in an offer for it.

I know this is just a silly rumour and hopefully most people who know us would dismiss it as such. The really upsetting bit is that a friend, someone we thought (note past tense) highly of has been instrumental in passing it on.

I'm also not sure what potential effect it could have on her planned business - I can't see locals wanting to buy bread from her if they think she's corrupting their kids and it can't survive on the brief tourist season to give her a year round income.

I admit to being totally floored by this, like I say it's just a silly rumour, but honestly I'm stumped as to how to deal with it. I've promised OH I won't do anything until I've had chance to sleep on it (but that doesn't include telling you lot of course).

Any suggestions would be welcome - bearing in mind that we'll still need to live here afterwards

[oldjerry]

Isn't it the friend (or ex friend) bit that's really getting to you?(and the protective mum thing!) All the other stuff is just the usual cobblers.Every one gossips and speculates a bit,but most treat as they find.I'm sure she'll do ok.

[skiesabove]

You sure that there isn't actually hemp growing on the property? If the previous owners put out birdseeds in the winter, hemp might pop up in the summer =).

[Green Aura]

You're right oj, it is the idea that friends think it's OK to spread it - and not even mention it to us.

As far as I know, skiesabove, there are no plants of any kind - other than a few mushrooms growing because of the damp and a huge bramble in the garden which will take us years to clear

[niknik]

arer you sure the "friend" spread it?
mybe they didnt. maybe they said something to counter it and someone else has stirred things..
At least talk to the "friend and get their side of the story

[Green Aura]

It's quite likely they may have been having a laugh about it - not expecting anyone else to take it seriously. Unfortunately that's the sort of off the wall comment that people do make.

We were told about it from quite an unexpected source - they've only just moved in and we've already been told they're drug dealers! Rumours we didn't pass on I must say!

[niknik]

maybe they really are drug dealers.............. could be pharmaceuticall company reps

[skiesabove]

Kind of weird in my eyes, people blaming others for being drugdealers? Is it a common "problem" in your area?

Talk to your friend/"friend" and ask them if it's true and if it isn't, you can have a good time trying to figure out why somebody is spreading that kind of rumours =).

And on a different perspective, I think ppl should be less worried about cannabisgrowers and more worried about drunk driving and methlabs. But that's scare-propaganda for you, hippies and cannabis are eeeeeevil!

[Green Aura]

No, it's a tiny village with no drug problems at all! Alcohol is, but this is Scotland We're not big drinkers - maybe they find that hard to understand so think we get our kicks elsewhere.

I've decided to let it be for the moment - no good rushing in all guns blazing. I'm sure it'll all die down.

[Millymollymandy]

I'm sorry you are having to put up with that kind of silliness and I'm sure once the business is up and running they will see that it is nothing of the kind. In the meantime is there any way you can stress that you don't even have the keys so you could hardly be in there growing anything right now.

[Millymollymandy]

Thanks for the good giggle Susie!

[Odsox]

That's exactly what happened to us Maggie.
When I first had a huge hole dug in the field everyone "knew" we were having a swimming pool.
Then I built the greenhouse in the hole and everyone then put two and two together ... English incomers + hidden greenhouse must equal a cannabis factory.
We heard about that from several sources, but I have to say it didn't make any difference to the way they treated us and they now realise that we are just harmless weirdos (but they still might be growing cannabis you know)

[theabsinthefairy]

You could try mentioning it to the friend you suspect of furthering the gossip in a jokey "you'll never believe the rubbish I 've just heard" and plainly laughing at it.

If it is just a silly bit of new year whimsy the fact that you dismiss it and make light of it may nip it in the bud

[Milims]

I love small village rumours - they always make the people who started them look really stupid - it may take time but it will happen!
When I first moved in here I found out that there was a rumour going round the village that I slept naked in my conservatory What amused me was that there could only have been one person who could actually see into my conservatory and even then he'd have to be hanging out of his upstairs window for large amounts of time in order to see me! When I heard the rumour I said as much and added that he must have a very boring sad life, and a rather unsuccessful business, if that was all he had to do! The rumours stopped after that!
On another occasion I found out that m XMIL was telling people that the reason my marriage broke up was becasue there was another man involved. So I simply said that if she believed that to be true then she could - but I could say, hand on heart, that it wasn't me who had another man! Again - the rumours stopped pretty quick!
I guess what I'm saying is that people who spead rumours have something bigger to hide themselves and it's pretty easy to work out what it is!
Keep your chin up hun - and feel sorry for the sad life of the person who's saying that nasty stuff!
Oops - many crossed posts!

[Green Aura]

Thanks folks, that really cheered me up. Susie, if you fancy swinging at any time I'll meet you in the local park - that's the only swinging I do (and then only when no-one's looking!)

You're right millims - some of the people in the village have a vague inkling that we're going into some form of food production (we've kept it all fairly quiet) and I'm guessing because they don't know much they're feeling threatened so the rumours can help stymie us and protect their interests.

Or maybe it wasn't even intended to be malicious, maybe it's just an of the cuff remark that's got out of hand. I just worry about our fledgling business, like I said, if we can't get locals buying from us it has no hope. My biggest hope (apart from DD earning a living) was that it would bring locals into the craft village - not many come in now.