How a rumor stars
Meeting two friends in the city. One of them said, she heard there is a terror attack in Times Square yesterday and the Americans are not reporting it. “I get it from China.” Both are from China and have lived in US for an extended period. They turned to me, “Have you heard?”
“No.” I said.
“See, they don’t report bad news. There are so many police men and fire tracks, how could it not be an attack?”
I knew fire trucks are everywhere when there is an emergency. Years ago when the apartment above us had a leak into our apartment, the fire trucks came after I called 911. I specifically said there was only water lead.
Would this friend’s ignorance with fire truck results in a rumor … “see, xyz lives in US and said, the Americans don’t report bad news …”
#7 subway in late morning is pretty empty. Instead, many bikes. The 42nd Street Times Square station.
