I should have taken a minute, or a few minutes, to cool down before I said something… before I did something. But I didn’t and now I regret it.
A few months ago the apartment above mine was rented out to an older couple, their daughter, her husband (or boyfriend or whatever) and their 4-year-old girl. They’re a very noisy group.
I understand that the little girl needs to stretch her legs. She can frequently be heard running from one side of the apartment to another. I’m not going to complain every time the little girl gets unruly.
However, having the adults make noise at 11 p.m. is pushing it. I sat here and did the “grin and bear it” thing for an hour. But at some point every “boom, boom” from above just made me angrier. When my glasses started clinking with every heavy footstep, every jump, that’s when I’d had enough.
I angrily changed out of my pajamas and into jeans and a tee sheet, and huffed my way up the stairs. I really should have given myself a moment to cool down. But I didn’t.
The husband… boyfriend, whatever, was on the porch, outside, smoking. The older couple wasn’t there.
“You do realize people live downstairs?” I asked him, as way of hello.
“Excuse me?” he asked, confused.
“It’s 11 o’clock and, while I understand that the little girl needs to get her exercise during the day, some of us are trying to sleep. There’s a lot of noise coming from up here,” I told him, angry.
“Yeah, well, it’s probably my cousins. They’re here watching the game,” he answered.
“Do you live here?” I asked, knowing that he did.
“Yes.”
“Is the other couple here?” I asked, knowing already what the answer would be.
“No,” he answered.
There was more to the conversation, but little effectiveness. Though he did promise they would keep it controlled, I’m still hearing “boom, boom.” I’m going to have to decide at which point I need to complain with the apartment manager.
In the meantime, I hope I haven’t started a feud with my neighbors. That’s really the last thing we need right now.
