The Story Shuffle: Why Gossip in a Small Town Feels Just Like the Telephone Game

If you’ve ever lived in a small town or better yet, if you’ve had the pleasure of calling Story, Wyoming home, you know that information here doesn’t walk. It runs. Actually, scratch that. It sprints. It gallops, does a few cartwheels, and then hitchhikes down North Piney Road before you’ve even had a chance to blink.

And by the time it makes its way back around to you? Well, now it’s wearing a totally different outfit, speaking in riddles, and carrying a casserole dish.

Welcome to The Story Shuffle, our unofficial, unfiltered version of the classic Telephone Game.

Wait... What’s the Telephone Game Again?

For those who might’ve skipped recess that day, the Telephone Game is a childhood classic. You sit in a circle with a group of friends. One person whispers a phrase to the person next to them. That person whispers it to the next. And so on and so on until it reaches the final person, who proudly announces what they think they heard.

Except, it’s completely wrong.

What started as, “Mark’s planning a BBQ at the park” ends up as, “The bark is sparking in the dark.” Everyone laughs, shakes their heads, and says, “How did we get that from that?”

Well, Story’s version of the game works exactly the same way. Except it’s not always so funny.

What might’ve begun as a harmless, well-meaning comment, “I saw Jenny loading up her car on a Wednesday morning,” suddenly morphs into, “Jenny’s running off to Vegas with her yoga instructor and she’s selling her house to buy a petting zoo.” And all of this happens before Jenny has even made it to the gas station.

It’s amazing, really. We're like the FBI of friendly speculation.

The Town Where Your Business Becomes Community Theatre

You ever walk into the Post Office and have someone ask about something you didn’t even know you were doing?

"Oh hey, heard you’re putting your house on the market and moving to Billings to start a kombucha café.”

Meanwhile, you're just there to mail your aunt a birthday card and buy stamps.

It's not that people are trying to be malicious. Truth be told, most folks around here care deeply. We look out for each other. We’re curious. We notice things. But let’s be honest: sometimes our noticing turns into narrating, and before long, we’re all actors in a drama that never happened.

A Gentle Reminder: Be Careful What You Whisper

Now don’t get me wrong, we love a good story in Story. That’s practically our town’s identity. We sit around campfires, kitchen tables, and front porches swappin’ tales. It’s part of what makes this place so rich and full of character. But there’s a difference between sharing stories and spreading rumors.

Because once a word leaves your lips, it doesn’t belong to you anymore, it starts shapeshifting. Sometimes it grows wings. Sometimes it grows claws.

And that’s why we all need to ask ourselves a few questions before repeating something we’ve heard:

• Is it helpful?

• Is it hopeful?

• Is it even remotely accurate?

• Would I be okay if someone said this about me?

If the answer’s “no” to any of those… maybe let it die right there at the picnic table.

Flip the Script: Be a Hope Carrier

Here’s the thing: our town is small enough that we all feel the ripples of what gets said. Words matter here. They travel. They stick. They linger. But guess what? That’s not a bad thing.

In fact, it gives us an incredible opportunity.

Imagine if we became the kind of town that spread encouragement the same way we spread speculation. What if what made its way around Story was less “Did you hear what she did?” and more “Did you hear how she helped?”

What if folks left conversations feeling lighter, not heavier? Inspired, not insecure? Encouraged, not embarrassed?

Now that’s a rumor worth starting.

Let’s Get This Right, Together

So the next time you're in line at the Story Store or sitting at the Library Resource Center, and someone leans in with a little “Did you hear…?” smile kindly. Listen if you must. But don’t forget: what you pass on has the power to either build someone up or tear someone down.

Let’s build.

Let’s be the kind of town where even if someone gets the story wrong, it still ends in something good.

And if you really do hear that someone’s opening a Cajun karaoke bar with live armadillos… please call me. I’m bringing the cornbread.