Banned in Boston, or Buggery and skulduggery

I have been banned from a commercial parcel in Second Life. How, you may ask, would a sweet girl like me get banned from anywhere? Well you may ask such a question! It's a long story, and you're not going to hear all of it. Names will be withheld to protect the guilty.

See, I was talking to a friend at my friend's house and happened to mention a certain parcel owner. I can't remember what I said. It was late on a Saturday, and I was, well, let's say deep in my cups. I know I didn't say anything scathing. I don't know this person well, but the person has always been kind to me, which I appreciate. I know for sure that one thing I said was quite innocent (and later misinterpreted), but I might have said something else that was less than complimentary about a specific situation, something I shouldn't have said. Hey, I might be virtual, but I'm humanly virtual, or maybe virtually human. In other words, I ain't perfect and never claim to be.

None of this would have mattered except for one thing: my friend's house was bugged. Bugged! Yes, such BS actually does go on in SL. A certain someone who also will remain nameless bugged my friend's place to spy on my friend. The bugger, seemingly intent on causing trouble (I don't really know the bugger's motivation), then passed this private conversation on to at least one person, the parcel owner in question. No idea where else it went, which is a bit disturbing. Anyway, the parcel owner took issue with what I said, which was only quoted back to me out of context. I politely refrained from reminding the parcel owner that the information came from a private conversation that had been bugged and then distributed, calmly absorbed the IM abuse coming my way, and apologized for any offence I had given, offering explanations where possible.

It was not enough for the parcel owner. I was banned, not only from this person's club but also from several stores that are also on the parcel. So not only can I no longer leave generous tips to the dancers at the club, as is my wont; I can't buy anything at those stores either. Now that is truly brilliant. It reminds me of a saying about cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

I find that I am in good company on the banned list, however. Oh sure, a bunch of the banned folks are griefers. I can tell by the names. But several of my friends are on the list as well, and they are certainly not griefers. Fine, upstanding citizens of SL they are! And now I am among them. If at some point I get unbanned, well, I'll just have to live with the shame of that, unless I can manage to get myself re-banned. Meanwhile, I shall continue to tip generously and make purchases at places where I am welcome.