At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements. 😉
What if you were being blackmailed about something your spouse (or sibling or child) did?
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
I'd make them come clean and confess it and not give into the blackmailer's demands.
ReplyDeletebetty
Oh my!!
ReplyDeleteWe'll blame it on A to Z.
DeleteI'd be shocked my spouse ever did anything worth blackmailing. He was always the good boy
ReplyDeleteI think I'd have to give him up as I could not abide being blackmailed (or so I would like to think).
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to know without some specifics, I think.
DeleteI wouldn't give in to blackmail for myself, so I wouldn't do it for myself. Like my mom always said, "If you murder someone, I'm turning you in."
ReplyDeleteOn the pretext, of making the first payment, I would invite the blackmailer to our house. After he had pocketed the money, I would say, "While you're here, I'd like you to meet my husband." Spouse would enter the room. I would then say to the blackmailer"Tell him what you're saying he did." The blackmailer would get uncomfortable. He'd say, Oh, I was just kidding. I know he wouldn't really do anything like that." And then my spouse would say, "Like what?" He'd insist on hearing what the blackmailer had to say. By this time, the blackmailer would be stammering and trying to back out the door. He'd throw the money down and dash into driveway, where a police cruiser would be quietly waiting. "Can we talk?"the cop would say.
ReplyDeleteYou've got a whole story there. Cool.
DeleteInteresting question....
ReplyDeleteI try. Not one of my better ones, though, I'm afraid.
DeleteHmmmm, I don't know...
ReplyDeleteHonesty is the way to go. Do that always makes the heart lighter. And I would reveal the black mailer if I knew who it was.
ReplyDeleteBut it isn't your lie you're worried about.
DeleteThis is where I reveal my organized crime ties (when I lived in Arkansas in the 1980's, my Italian last name actually had people believing I was related to Mafia people).
ReplyDeleteOooh. The blackmailer better not deal with your family...
DeleteWhat is the blackmailer after? Money? I don't have any so they can print that info in the newspaper. My situation takes place in the 1980's where newspapers were still a thing.
ReplyDeleteI have a tendency to live my life as a open book. My first thought might be that this is going to make some great blog fodder.
ReplyDeleteSince you frequent my wife's blog and you have now been to mine, I popped over to check you out. You'll see me again. I'm hard to get rid of.
The more the merrier :)
DeleteIn my experience, the truth always comes out. So, why reward people for keeping it under wraps for a short period of time, longer? It does make for a great plot, though, especially since most of us will protect our family members at all costs.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember what gave me the idea for the question now, but I'm sure it was some show or other. Yeah, good story (I hope).
DeleteAlana's comment intrigued me. I don't think I'd want to share a mafia family name. :) Be well!
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes it could work in your favor. Depending.
DeleteI’d tell them to go ahead because blackmail never stops unless you stop it.
ReplyDeleteThis is true.
DeleteYou know that is a question that can go off in several different areas.....first I guess it would depend on how bad the spouse etc messed up and if I felt it was worth covering up for if I was being blackmailed over something they did. Personally I would probably let them clean up their own mess.
ReplyDeleteYes, if you don't care to cover up for the person, the hold over you might not be as much as the blackmailer thinks.
DeleteOh C'mon Liz you know me, I'd go on a very long wander! haha.
ReplyDeleteAnd no one would be able to find you. Nice plan :)
DeleteWhat a person does is his or her responsibility. Relationships don't matter, do they? So blackmail won't work.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you care enough about them not to want them to suffer whatever consequences that will occur if they're exposed...
Delete