The Country Sounds Good

I grew up in a smallish town and lived in a house in the middle of nowhere. On 18 acres of land with no view of any of our neighbors but the cows. The loudest it ever got was in the middle of a hot July when the crickets were in full voice.

Since I left home, I've lived in the city. Not downtown city, but very near. With a view of all of our neighbors on several streets, and even a view of the tallest downtown business buildings.

I love living here. I am right near a grocery store, gas station, restaurants, coffee shops and many other interesting small businesses. I don't have to go far for anything I need and can ride my bike to anything I wouldn't walk to.

However, last night we despised our neighborhood. We hated where our house was. We rued the day we ever chose to settle where we did.

Every so often there are loud, noisy, rude, drunk people having parties on our street. Sometimes the wedding receptions held at the church across the street go very late and involve much shouting and excessive partying. Last night it was our next door neighbor.

The house is a rental, so that's a first strike against it. We know they could care less about the yard as they haven't yet once mowed it since they moved in. They collect their trash for weeks and weeks and then put mounds of smelly waste out at once for the whole area to enjoy.

The noise and the yelling and the music was so loud last night that my husband even called the cops to drive by. And I think all that did was make them louder. No regard for anyone else, no respect for curfews or noise pollution or anything. And I'm not talking about just late evening, either. I'm talking about the middle of the morning.

The sad thing is the resident of the home is a single mother. I don't know if the children were home or not, but it seems like she really should have known better, right?

I think I need to find a way to get ahold of the owner of the house and have a chat with him. I understand people who want to have a good time and whatever, but not at three in the morning and especially not when some neighbors have to get up at 6:30 the next day.

And now it's time for my nap.