What’s the Harm?

Every morning, Rose Lambert tells herself that she meant well, but she really wishes she had never sent The E-mail. She passed along a warning message from a colleague that HIV-contaminated hypodermic needles were hidden under gas pump handles, ready to stick and infect the unaware. What lent credence to the tale, headlined “SADLY, THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!”, was her signature: she’s an aide to a Fairfax County (Va.) Supervisor, and her government affiliation is included with the warning. Every day she hears from dozens of people from all over the world wanting to know if the story is true. Sadly, it was just a sick joke. “It’s been the bane of my existence, my worst nightmare,” Lambert says of the uproar. “This is now the story of my life. I can’t wait until it’s over. I may have to die first.” (Washington Post) ...That would be a great idea, except her death would just make the story that much more believable.