Left to my own devices, I probably would

So, Debbie has left me.  

She's gone off on her holidays to some far flung island with her fancy foreign lover - who, worryingly, also works for me, but not in Paris.

Of course, the fact that they work together and don't want to encourage gossip means that it's all top secret.  Cloak and dagger.  Ridiculous.  Trouble is, they're not fooling anyone.  Pretty much everyone in the company knows of their 'affair'.  It's the most exciting thing to happen since the factory employees stood round in a circle one lunchtime to watch one of the boys off the line get blown by his girlfriend.  Truly, this happened.

Anyway, I'm not getting drawn into it.  Anyone asks me where she's gone, I don't know.  They ask me who with, I don't know.  I may be keeping schtum on the outside, but inside I'm dying.  Pretty much like Chandler when he's not allowed to make jokes.  I so want to gossip about this, but it's just not fair.

I guess I'm lucky that I'm the only gay in the village at work.  There's no chance of me ending up in some career-defying clinch with a colleague, unless of course, there's an 'adventurous' 'married' man amongst their ranks (trust me, there usually is). 

The old adage of 'don't get your honey where you get your money' still applies, I suppose.  Even in these enlightened times, it's hard to date / sleep with / get caught doing something inappropriate with a colleague and not have it affect your reputation.  I guess it could also enhance your reputation.  Depends.

That said, I've had my moments.  There was once a Scottish guy who worked with me a long time ago - in the UK, at a different company.  He was cute, horny, a rocket in the sack.  Turns out he was sleeping with both me and my (female, married) secretary.  Eee-uw.  That was embarrassing.    

And then the Scandinavian customer who threatened to take his business elsewhere.  But let's not go there.

Debbie is doing herself a mix of good and bad with this whole thing.  The management of the company are pleased that the pair of them are refusing to comment - seeing this as a professional act on their behalf, keeping work and private lives separate.  However, in terms of who the company is gossiping about - well it's Debbie.  Poor girl.

I'm doing as much damage control as I can, but I know that she'll sort them out when she gets back.

When I said to her that people will talk about the situation, she replied,

"In France it is fine to have many lovers before you marry.  I am young.  I like sex.  If this offends people, then it is their problem."

I fear it may be her problem too.  But hey, I'm not one to judge.

After all, it's not like Sweden has remained a secret.