(I enter the church office, chatting with Karen.)
Lindsay: Have you heard if ________ died? [A member who is on hospice and in the hospital]
Karen: No, I haven’t heard.
Lindsay: Oh, I was just wondering. I saw the hearse was outside [of the funeral home].
Karen: Oh, no, that’s not a good sign.
(We hold a five minute conversation about Sharpie markers – extra fine point, retractable, and assorted colors – and then Keith, the custodian, comes in. Chit chatting.)
Karen: Keith, have you heard if _________ died?
Keith: No …
Karen: We were just curious.
Keith: I see Larry was washing the hearse.
Karen: Washing?
Keith: Gail [wife] drove me past about quarter to eight and the ground was wet.
Lindsay and Karen: OH …
Inductive reasoning.
Everyone knows something.
Educated guesses about other people’s business.
Welcome to a small town.
there's no place like gnome. 
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