Thursday, August 04, 2005

In Strictest Confidence

I have not told a story about my parent's in a while. Part of this blog is supposed to be about them and how I was raised.

Growing up if I had a secret to share, or I needed to rat someone out but did not want to be considered the rat, or had an embarrassing situation that I needed help with, I told my mom. I think everyone in my family did.

Mom was not a gossip. She did not tell the neighbors secret information. Sure sometimes she would tell her sisters (she has 9) but that was to be expected. I of course would be mad if she disclosed information. “Mom I can’t believe you told Aunt Z. that I told you that I thought her kids were brats.”

“Well when you told me,” she would say, “you didn’t say it was in strictest confidence.”,

So if you ever wanted her sworn secrecy, you had to preface your confession, secret, dirty laundry or what not with “This is in Strictest Confidence”. It was the code for “Please, please, please swear to god, hope to die, stick a needle in your eye, that you will not tell another living soul.”

Most of the secrets were silly things about girlfriends or friends or brothers. Sometimes they were more serious situations like, “Mom, I am quitting my job to work in theater.” Or “This in strictest confidence, but I am living with my girlfriend.”

Usually I would tell her things so she could act like a buffer when I had to tell my dad. She sometimes would lecture. Sometimes offer counsel or advice. But as far as I know she always kept the secret.

To this day I use the "In strictest confidence" code with my brothers. Sometimes I use it with friends and I forget they are not "in" on the code, that "In strictest confidence" is not a universal code for secrecy. It gets me into trouble form time to time.

This is NOT in strictest confidence. I love you Mom.



I expect a ton of comments from my brothers about me sucking up to mom.

13 comments:

c said...

Suck up!

The Q said...

Awww, that is really sweet.

But on a totally different note, why is one of your Ads by Google quoted as "Retard at burger king"?!?

Anonymous said...

I blove you more and more, I do. And your mom must be amazing to have established such a trust with her sons, all throughout their lives.

Anonymous said...

'In Strictest confidence' was one of the more over exagerated terms used. You see, you would tell your problem "in strictest confidence" then she would tell it to her sisters "in Strictest confidence." They would in turn tell their kids "in strictest confidence."

It was a never ending cycle, that only stopped when the secret got back to you. So the only person who was 'confidenced' out of the secret was the the teller of the secret. Sorry Bill, but we've all known all of your secrets forever. Let me tell you, you were a strange bird growing up.

Unknown said...

You are totally sucking up to your Mom. Heh. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone...

Oh and, "...you were a strange bird growing up..." -- This coming from someone who whispers to grass.

Lois Lane said...

That was so sweet, you little brown-noser. ;) Even though you are a middle child, you turned out pretty good.
We always had the pinky swear in our house.
Lois Lane

Cat said...

Pssst, William! Shhhhhhh! In strictest confidence... Aaaaaaw! And, suck-up.

;)

And, this is completely unrelated, but maybe it was all that pot-smoking you did in the 80's that has clouded the memories... hmmm? Um, in strictest confidence.

G-Side Pride said...

wow thats is almost as good as being the first of your grandmothers grandchildren to wish her happy brithday. i did that. You can't beat that

LizzieDaisy said...

Wow... SoozieQ comments here. Now I know you're okay. Anyway, I have no time to comment :) but wanted to say hi, I rolled you, I'll be back. I have to find out what happens with the fence. I had neighbors like that at my last house. Thankfully, even though the neighborhood association rotted, the downtown office they reported us to was sympathetic and, well, pissed off they had to come out at all.

Anyway, my hub is 2nd of 10. Fun times eh? :) Can't wait to read more...

(oh, if you're wondering... it was the Baskin Robbins and the 31 thieves comment that got me)

Susie said...

The burger king thing is killing me too. My mom couldn't keep a secret and had an Irish whisper so everyone in the neighborhood knew everything. Including when I first got my period. Cheers to secret-keeping moms like yours!

Nico said...

* circus kelli said: 'Oh and, "...you were a strange bird growing up..." -- This coming from someone who whispers to grass.' > Hahaha! PRICELESS.

Effie said...

Aaaw! In my family Mom would tell us things at the supper table and say "This isn't to go beyond the table"
I always went and told secrets to my Mom too--"don't tell anyone please"--she always told Grandma or at least Dad....

Anonymous said...

Bill is, was, and still is a suck up. I have always thought he was gunning for that favorite son title.He has no chance at all of ever receiving the title. Jim is favorite son and always will be. I have a good relationship with my mother and rarley ever had to suck up to anyone. However my wife did name our youngest child after my mother.