It's Confidential...?

It depends on the situation. When I managed a big company, if an employee approached me and wanted to tell me something confidential, I would explain that if it involved wrongdoing within the company, I could not be bound as my first duty to was to address the wrongdoing. As memory serves (and it's not such a reliable servant these days) no employee ever demurred after being told that.

When one of my kids has told me something in confidence, I sometimes feel that I must tell the parent of the child involved in the story, and I have been able to convince my kids that they must let me do that.

When a friend confides, however, I can promise to keep it secret to my death.

Even if that friend confides the deatails of a crime? What about if the secret involves the betrayal of a loved one?

TIE

On a few occasions I have been asked to be someone's repeated alibi. They were both involved in affairs. Interesting thing happens when you are put in that situation, you begin to accept that behavior as ok and it's not. What I learned in both instances, when I person is lying to everyone around them, including themselves, it will back fire, blow up and take you down with them. Can I keep a secret? Yes. Will I ever put myself in that situation? Absolutely not. A true friend would not put you in a compromising situation.

PS...as much fun as my friends and I are, the only laws we break are driving a bit too fast and jaywalking. I was witness to a heap of crap when I was hanging out with cops. Those days are over.

there was a point in my life many years ago when i would go to jail for people.

these days, if the stakes are that high, its best that i not know about.

knowingly exposing oneself to that kind of vulnerability isn't worth the brain damage.

Depends on the person. If I tell my wife something in trust and she passed it on I would be really hurt. Others not so much

when i tell someone information in confidence, it is information that i don't mind if it gets out.

actual confidential info is in the lock box. so my point is, if i tell someone something, my assumption is that it is 'out there.'

I am a good confidant w/ easy stuff. But I make it clear I do not want to know any heavy stuff. However I don''t know anyone who would be involved in any heavy stuff so I don't have to worry. If a friend ever confided in me about an extra marital affair I would have to tell them straight up to get help & stop it immediately. I just don't believe in that kind of stuff & someone will get hurt & I so not want to be a part of it.

Cami