Gossip.

Stefanos Oungrinis
48 minutes ago
2 min read

0:00

They always come early for the first check-in. Not to see who’s here, to see who isn’t. That’s the real list; they scan empty stools and missing faces like detectives at a crime scene.

Because nothing like knowing someone is having fun without you, and nothing brings peace like confirming they’re not.

If table five is empty,

Why isn’t Kostas here?

If the corner stool is free,

Did Eleni go somewhere better?

Fun elsewhere is dangerous. Every bar has one.

Every. Single. Bar. The one whose job isn’t drinking —

It’s reporting.

At mine, it’s Nikos o Koutsobolas.

Nick the Snitch, for export.

I’ve probably given away four tons of Negroni in my life.

To him? Not even a beer.

Until today, my empathy won.

I made him a Negroni — he usually drinks IPA.

He knows I have to bend down, almost on my knees, to get it.

He enjoys the inconvenience.

He enjoys making things difficult in general.

“Enjoy the Negroni,” I said.

“And your report.”

That little smile appeared; he doesn’t want to join the fun.

He wants to locate it, and then explain it to people who weren’t invited.

Collecting moments like evidence.

“Who came in earlier?”

“Who left with whom?”

Not curiosity.Inventory.

Niko runs the unofficial group chat of disappointment, If something good happens by tomorrow morning:

Everyone knows. Everyone has opinions.Everyone feels slightly smaller.

I once asked him,“Niko… do you ever just enjoy your drink?”

He looked confused. “Enjoy?”

“No, no. I observe.”Of course you do.

Some people come to bars to forget, some to connect, and some to make sure nobody else is too happy without them.

So they arrive early. Check who’s missing. Confirm the sadness. And when they finally relax — it’s not because the night is good. It’s because nothing good is happening anywhere else.

I made him another Negroni.Not for hospitality.For hazard pay.

Gossip isn’t just talking —it’s shrinking moments, twisting joy, turning laughter into rumor and connection into something dirty.

It’s how small people make big moments manageable.

Every good thing that passes through bitter mouths comes out lighter, thinner, weaker.

And somehow…

less alive.

They always come early for the first check-in. Not to see who’s here, to see who isn’t. That’s the real list; they scan empty stools and missing faces like detectives at a crime scene.

Because nothing like knowing someone is having fun without you, and nothing brings peace like confirming they’re not.

If table five is empty,

Why isn’t Kostas here?

If the corner stool is free,

Did Eleni go somewhere better?

Fun elsewhere is dangerous. Every bar has one.

Every. Single. Bar. The one whose job isn’t drinking —

It’s reporting.

At mine, it’s Nikos o Koutsobolas.

Nick the Snitch, for export.

I’ve probably given away four tons of Negroni in my life.

To him? Not even a beer.

Until today, my empathy won.

I made him a Negroni — he usually drinks IPA.

He knows I have to bend down, almost on my knees, to get it.

He enjoys the inconvenience.

He enjoys making things difficult in general.

“Enjoy the Negroni,” I said.

“And your report.”

That little smile appeared; he doesn’t want to join the fun.

He wants to locate it, and then explain it to people who weren’t invited.

Collecting moments like evidence.

“Who came in earlier?”

“Who left with whom?”

Not curiosity.Inventory.

Niko runs the unofficial group chat of disappointment, If something good happens by tomorrow morning:

Everyone knows. Everyone has opinions.Everyone feels slightly smaller.

I once asked him,“Niko… do you ever just enjoy your drink?”

He looked confused. “Enjoy?”

“No, no. I observe.”Of course you do.

Some people come to bars to forget, some to connect, and some to make sure nobody else is too happy without them.

So they arrive early. Check who’s missing. Confirm the sadness. And when they finally relax — it’s not because the night is good. It’s because nothing good is happening anywhere else.

I made him another Negroni.Not for hospitality.For hazard pay.

Gossip isn’t just talking —it’s shrinking moments, twisting joy, turning laughter into rumor and connection into something dirty.

It’s how small people make big moments manageable.

Every good thing that passes through bitter mouths comes out lighter, thinner, weaker.

And somehow…

less alive.

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