There are times when it's great to be me... other times... not so much.
Yesterday was a double-edged sword in many ways.
I have great friends... friends who have my back... who look out for me and my well being. Some of these friends have become trusted advisers... so trusted that I don't question them when they share information with me that pobably should be questioned... but trust is just that... TRUST.
When three close friends came to me with identical information and excellent provenance... I did ask the source, and all of them politely declined to reveal the source. They are trustworthy, after all, and they promised the source that their identity would be a closely held secret.
I respect that about them.
So without anything more than the words of some of my closest confidants, I called out Grruss and as it turns out, the information was not factual. Once this happened, I was able to ascertain the identity of the person sharing the information with my friends, and I contacted the informant.
The informant shared the name of HIS informant, and I contacted that person.
His story was ever so slightly different than the version I was told. He wasn't actually SURE that Grruss was the person price gouging the attys...and HE was passing on information that HE heard... it wasn't direct knowledge... it was the unique brand of truth and fiction that fuels the drama in nearly every forum.
So as it turns out, I ended up making accusations about Grruss that were unfounded, and I believe, based on evidence that was pretty easy to ascertain. that Grruss was completely innocent.
In reality, I shot first and asked questions later.
Once I realized that I made an awful mistake, I apologized to Grruss in PM... And he accepted my apology which is proof that he's a better friend to me than I was to him.
I have no real excuse, and any attempt to defend my actions would only serve to add insult to injury.
I am truly sorry that I sullied the good name of a true friend of the Zen Nation, and I am further horrified that I lacked the common sense to ask a few questions before coming in with guns blazing.
I DO know the source of the attys that were price gouged, and I will deal with that person in private. I don't know what the outcome will be.
Long winded? absolutely... so here's the short version
I screwed up... and I'm sorry to the folks that had to witness it, but especially to Gruss that had his integrity questioned.
Please accept my apology.