Bruit
Definition
: report, rumor — usually used with about
Back in the days of Middle English, the Anglo-French noun bruit, meaning "clamor" or "noise," rattled
into English. Soon English speakers were also using it to mean "report" or "rumor" (it was applied
especially to favorable reports). They also began using bruit the way the verb noise was used (and
still occasionally is) with the meaning "to spread by rumor or report" (as in "The scandal was quickly
noised about").
into English. Soon English speakers were also using it to mean "report" or "rumor" (it was applied
especially to favorable reports). They also began using bruit the way the verb noise was used (and
still occasionally is) with the meaning "to spread by rumor or report" (as in "The scandal was quickly
noised about").
“And breathe out.” The doctor said, pushing his stethoscope hard into my chest as he listened intently
to my lungs.
to my lungs.
I breathed out.
‘Did you hear? Have you heard? I heard a rumour that….’
The doctor nodded, once, firmly. “Yes, it’s definitely the Bruit Syndrome.”
“The what now?” I asked, confused as I'd never heard of it but hopeful that, if it had a name, it could
be cured or deal with. I was also supremely happy to hear I was not, as I feared, going mad.
be cured or deal with. I was also supremely happy to hear I was not, as I feared, going mad.
“The Bruit Syndrome. It’s quite rare and unusual, hence why you’ve probably never heard of it, but it’s
not unheard of either. Simply put, rumours have infested your lungs.”
not unheard of either. Simply put, rumours have infested your lungs.”
“What?” I repeated, dumbly. “Are you having me on?”
“I assure you I am quite serious. You know the saying that rumours and gossip take on a life of their
own?”
own?”
I hesitantly nodded.
“Well medical professionals have theorised that there is more truth to that saying than most suspect.
We believe that the energy used in creating gossip or malicious rumours actually gives them a semi
sort of life. Think about the panic that is generated when rumours of redundancy abound - or the
rather perverse pleasure some people take in gossip about celebrities' lives. It all feeds into these
statements, and the more it spreads, the more people add to the energy and the bigger it gets - to the
point where it can manifest as a separate, individual entity.”
We believe that the energy used in creating gossip or malicious rumours actually gives them a semi
sort of life. Think about the panic that is generated when rumours of redundancy abound - or the
rather perverse pleasure some people take in gossip about celebrities' lives. It all feeds into these
statements, and the more it spreads, the more people add to the energy and the bigger it gets - to the
point where it can manifest as a separate, individual entity.”
“Even saying that is true.” I was now having serious doubts about my own and my doctor’s sanity,
“Why on earth would they clamouring in my lungs??”
“Why on earth would they clamouring in my lungs??”
The doctor shrugged. “All living beings need a home - a perch to roost in so to speak. They’ve just
decided to roost in yours. Tell me, do you work in an environment that has a lot of rumour and gossip
flying about - somewhere like the entertainment industry or a newspaper perhaps? Or are you
yourself a bit of a gossip?”
decided to roost in yours. Tell me, do you work in an environment that has a lot of rumour and gossip
flying about - somewhere like the entertainment industry or a newspaper perhaps? Or are you
yourself a bit of a gossip?”
“No!” I said indignantly, my body tensing up. “I hate gossip.”
The doctor observed me, his eyes hidden by the light catching on his glasses.
“Another theory,” he said gently (for a doctor), “is that they also like to roost in those who have been
severely affected by gossip - branded by it you could say so that to them it feels almost homely. Of
course,” he continued when i said nothing, “that is just a theory.”
severely affected by gossip - branded by it you could say so that to them it feels almost homely. Of
course,” he continued when i said nothing, “that is just a theory.”
“I see.” I said stiffly. “How can I get rid of them?”
The doctor sighed. “I am afraid I can be of little help to you there. The Bruit Syndrome is something
we know almost nothing about - we can theorise why they choose the people they do, but as of yet
we have no understanding of why they leave when they do.”
we know almost nothing about - we can theorise why they choose the people they do, but as of yet
we have no understanding of why they leave when they do.”
“So they will leave?” I said eagerly.
“On their own, yes.” the doctor said. “They appear to be quite migratory. However, I cannot begin to
estimate how long that will be. The more attached they are to you, the more comfortable they find
you, the longer they will stay.”
estimate how long that will be. The more attached they are to you, the more comfortable they find
you, the longer they will stay.”
“I see.” I stood up. “Thank you for your time doctor.”
He scribbled a note on a piece of paper and handed it to me. “This is an online group run by previous
Bruit Syndrome patients. Perhaps they might be able to assist you.”
Bruit Syndrome patients. Perhaps they might be able to assist you.”
“Thank you doctor.” I carefully placed the paper inside my wallet.
The noise from the rumours clamouring in my lungs drowned out my own voices in my head and
distracted me from the imagined looks of the passerbys. In their own, odd and noisy way, it actually
made the short walk home easier.
distracted me from the imagined looks of the passerbys. In their own, odd and noisy way, it actually
made the short walk home easier.
I made it through my front door, bolting it behind me, and let out a huge sigh of relief.
``I can’t believe it, did you hear, is it true?’
My house was dark, as it always was since I stopped opening the curtains about three months ago.
Although dark it was spotless - since I barely ever wet outside anymore, it was necessary to keep
myself occupied and to at least try and maintain some standard of living. Online shopping was a
Godsend.
Although dark it was spotless - since I barely ever wet outside anymore, it was necessary to keep
myself occupied and to at least try and maintain some standard of living. Online shopping was a
Godsend.
“Another theory is that they also like to roost in those who have been severely affected by gossip -
branded by it you could say so to them it feels almost homely.”
branded by it you could say so to them it feels almost homely.”
About four months ago, I was a rising star in a small but growing investment firm. I admit, I got lucky.
I took chances with my work others wouldn't and it paid off. But I worked my arse off and I was, even if
it was only in my opinion, going places due to my efforts.
I took chances with my work others wouldn't and it paid off. But I worked my arse off and I was, even if
it was only in my opinion, going places due to my efforts.
Of course, there were those who didn’t like that.
Everyone has rumours circulating them. It was especially true for those who were doing well for
themselves and largely considered the nature of the game. It was a game i thought i could win - or at
least that it wouldn't bother me.
themselves and largely considered the nature of the game. It was a game i thought i could win - or at
least that it wouldn't bother me.
“Did you hear - she slept with the boss to get hired. Did you know she gave a handjob in the loo to an
investment banker just so she could get insider information. I heard that that’s not her real nose - she
got work done to help her get ahead. Rumour has it that it’s not her making the calls - he assistant
does all the work and she takes credit for it. She said that she only got hired because they needed a
woman due to workplace gender equality - they give her the easy stuff out of pity. Did you see what
she’s wearing, she’s clearly asking for it. Can’t she do something with her hair? I thought women were
supposed to care about their appearance. She’s wearing trouser suits again - there’s someone clearly
wishing she’d been born a man. A dress again? I thought she was supposed to be a feminist - clearly
using her femininity to cover up a mistake she made.What does she look like, what does she think
she’s doing.
investment banker just so she could get insider information. I heard that that’s not her real nose - she
got work done to help her get ahead. Rumour has it that it’s not her making the calls - he assistant
does all the work and she takes credit for it. She said that she only got hired because they needed a
woman due to workplace gender equality - they give her the easy stuff out of pity. Did you see what
she’s wearing, she’s clearly asking for it. Can’t she do something with her hair? I thought women were
supposed to care about their appearance. She’s wearing trouser suits again - there’s someone clearly
wishing she’d been born a man. A dress again? I thought she was supposed to be a feminist - clearly
using her femininity to cover up a mistake she made.What does she look like, what does she think
she’s doing.
Who does she think she is?”
I could have coped. I could have. Except I found out by chance, accidentally overhearing in the ladies
loos as you always do, that people actually believed this shit.
loos as you always do, that people actually believed this shit.
That people who I thought were my friends actually believed that shit.
After that, i couldn't work there. Not when I didn't believe i had anyone there i could rely on, who had
my back, who didn’t think I was some sort of grasping, conniving, skank who in no way earned
everything I had fought so hard for. Even by quitting, all I was doing was validating their own opinion
that i was weak and hadn’t deserved the position I'd had. It would never even cross their mind that
they had been the ones that had wronged me.
my back, who didn’t think I was some sort of grasping, conniving, skank who in no way earned
everything I had fought so hard for. Even by quitting, all I was doing was validating their own opinion
that i was weak and hadn’t deserved the position I'd had. It would never even cross their mind that
they had been the ones that had wronged me.
After a while, it was just easier not to go out.
I clumsily took the piece of paper the doctor had given me out of my wallet. Perhaps these other
patients had figured out a way to get rid of these things. Had I slept much anymore, they surely
would have given me insomnia by now.
patients had figured out a way to get rid of these things. Had I slept much anymore, they surely
would have given me insomnia by now.
I logged onto the computer, ignoring the flashing icon in the corner of my screen saying i had messages
. They would only be from my employment agent, asking if I could come to this interview or that
interview. I always turned them down. Soon she would stop chasing me and give me up as a lost
cause. I was surprised she hadn’t already, but for some reason she stubbornly persevered.
. They would only be from my employment agent, asking if I could come to this interview or that
interview. I always turned them down. Soon she would stop chasing me and give me up as a lost
cause. I was surprised she hadn’t already, but for some reason she stubbornly persevered.
The website was clearly made by those who had little experience in making one, but there was a well
populated message board with various posts about how people had contracted the syndrome, how
they dealt with it and, very rarely, what had happened when they got rid of them. Like the doctor said,
there appeared to be no rhyme or reason to it.
populated message board with various posts about how people had contracted the syndrome, how
they dealt with it and, very rarely, what had happened when they got rid of them. Like the doctor said,
there appeared to be no rhyme or reason to it.
Then I came across one post entitled ‘how my rumours left me.’ It was a very short post. It simply said
‘I will decide my own worth. So I let go.’
‘I will decide my own worth. So I let go.’
I looked at it for a long time. Then I clicked on the member profile of the author. Apparently she had
dealt with severe harassment for a long time, from both her place of employment and had married an
abusive partner. At her lowest point, she had then contracted Bruit Syndrome. In her profile notes she
had written, ‘oddly enough, contracting Bruit was one of the best things that could have happened to
me. For the first time, I finally understood that whatever people said about me, whatever lies they told -
they were nothing but noise.’
dealt with severe harassment for a long time, from both her place of employment and had married an
abusive partner. At her lowest point, she had then contracted Bruit Syndrome. In her profile notes she
had written, ‘oddly enough, contracting Bruit was one of the best things that could have happened to
me. For the first time, I finally understood that whatever people said about me, whatever lies they told -
they were nothing but noise.’
The woman was now running a successful business and had married a new partner. I looked at her
photo. She was smiling.
photo. She was smiling.
I looked at the little icon in the corner of my screen. It was still flashing. Still filling my inbox with new
opportunities from people who didn’t care what others might have said about me.
opportunities from people who didn’t care what others might have said about me.
I looked back at the photo of the smiling woman.
Then i unlocked my back door and walked into my over grown and deserted garden. The hawthorn
bushes that I loved so dearly had grown wild over everything. The air was calm and mild, dusk staining
the sky pink and purple.
bushes that I loved so dearly had grown wild over everything. The air was calm and mild, dusk staining
the sky pink and purple.
I leaned back and and opened my mouth wide. The rumours swarmed out of my mouth, their ugly bird
shapes flinging themselves ungracefully into the perfumed night air, their dark shapes black stains
against the evening night air, like an oil slick over clear sea water.
shapes flinging themselves ungracefully into the perfumed night air, their dark shapes black stains
against the evening night air, like an oil slick over clear sea water.
I went back inside and opened my curtains.
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