Is it my imagination?

I think I know how old wives' tales develop, now that I'm well on my way of becoming an old wife.

A woman has a Eureka! moment, where she connects two events, seemingly unrelated or not. She theorizes there is a connection, then promotes her new hypothesis with other women friends, who may or may not have suspected the same thing, but being good women friends, will lend their support and credence. Then the theory becomes immortalized as she passes down her ideas to her offspring.

Because of women's intuition, some of these tales are true. Others are the product of extreme PMS, I believe.

So I just had a Eureka! moment.

I alternate through stages of drinking lots of coffee and drinking no coffee at all. I also suffer occasional bouts of gum disease, during which my gums bleed and ache and become prone to absesses.

After a week of no coffee, I had a strong cup of my own espresso this morning. Now this evening, I've got a really bad case of aching gums.

Coincidence? Maybe, but it's great fodder for an old wives' tale, no?