I had the good fortune, this morning, of answering my front door clad in just a towel. A pink towel, a bath towel, but a towel nonetheless.
As I was drying off I heard a soft, delicate... POUNDING. On my front door. Not the usual occurrence at 7:15 am, so I ran out. I asked who it was and the voice answered that he was my downstairs neighbor... and could I please control my kids and not have them jump all over the place.
!!!!!!!
So you know, of course, I opened the door. I had to. I had to see the face of the accuser. (I also wanted him to see mine, and my kids.. but they ran away.)
He said he lived not underneath MY apartment, but under the apartment next door.. and that my kids walking and jumping, and whatever it is they do has been causing him great distress.
I apologized. I said you know, they're kids. Two boys. But I also asked: "Why did you wait so long to come up? Why did you wait until you were this angry, banging on my door at 7 am? You could have come up any time and told me. How was I to KNOW it was bothering you if you did not TELL me....?"
He muttered something and stormed away.
The boys were hiding in their room. Nathan immediately goes on the offensive: "That guy's crazy! He's always banging on the ceiling!"
!!!!!!!!! He's always banging on the ceiling?!?! I had no idea!! But then I realize that he's not even the neighbor underneath... he's one over... so that means the neighbor underneath is upset, too?!? (Imagining lynching mob appearing at my door tomorrow morning... hopefully just a wee bit later so I'm at least in some sweats...)
Max says that's untrue. That there has not been banging... that Nathan is making it up. But.....
But as I'm coming into work later I'm thinking about it... The floors are mostly carpeted. The boys are out a lot at after school stuff Tuesdays, Thursdays and often on Mondays. They leave at 6 for X's on most Wednesdays and every other Friday - and we're not even there most weekends... Also, they're in bed by 9-9:30 the LATEST. And in the morning... well - maybe from 7-8:30... but most of that time is spent vegging in front of the TV. They don't bounce basketballs, ride pogo sticks, or use jack hammers. Yes, they run around, yes they do light saber battles... BUT, aren't they entitled to live in their apartment? As long as they're NOT running a team of Lipizzaner Stallions through? They're kids. They run. It's not at 2 am. It's not even past 10 pm or earlier than 7 am!
I feel badly that I didn't stick up for them more when the guy came. But it was probably for the best that we didn't get into it at that exact moment.... given the towel situation and all...
April 1st
7 months ago
Posts
6 comments:
My brother and sister in law live in Manhattan and in building they use to live in, before they got a 3 bedroom, the women who lived downstairs use to complain about my nephews always making noise. She would call security on them at 2 in the afternoon during the week, when no one was home, on Saturdays when no one was home. One time she called the security office at 2:30 am (yes in the morning) and complained of the noise. The security people actually escorted her to their apt door and confirmed no noise. She is one of the reasons, they got a 3 bedroom as quick as they did. Normally the 2nd kid has to be of the opposite sex of the eldest kid in their development.
YOWSA!
Well that's life in an apartment. You know? He needs to get that. I'm sure people (you) do their best to keep it down.
And he didn't handle it well...and after pounding and hysterics at 7 a.m. I'm not surprised you were a little off your game. :)
Good luck!
I say he's being unreasonable. Unless your kids are particularly loud, they should be allowed to run around and play Star Wars. Especially after 7 am and before 9 pm. Geez!
Heidi
PS: I talk tough now, but in a bath towel, I'd be flustered, too :)
I feel your pain... my neighbor downstairs complained a couple times to the mgmt office about me not having my hardwood floors completely carpeted (what's the point of beautiful hardwood floors if you have to cover them?!?!) and every chance he gets, he complains to me about how big my son's shoes are and how loud it is when he takes them off and they land on the floor. And of course, you know about my issues with his snoring!! So... it's all part of living in an apartment building. I've been fortunate enough to be on the top floor of most buildings I've lived in, and since these walls are so thin, I'm especially happy I'm on top here! I'm sure there's a happy medium somewhere...
Oh noooo....now you have that song stuck in my head. Must. Find. Brain. Bleach.
I lived on the bottom floor for 5 years.... I kept my stero down and made sure I was quiet. People moved in and out in the apartment above me. No kids were ever there, but this newlywed couple!!!!! Wow!!!! I have no Idea what they did!!! Don't even want to know!!
The apartment manager lived next door to me. We talked about the noise but they soon moved out. So I guess noise should be expected.
Now, about opening your door to strangers with only a towel around you.....!!!!! Do you ever watch the news? How about CSI? I don't open my door in Oklahoma unless I know who is out there!
You could have said to the guy, "I'm sorry about the noise. I'm an exotic dancer and was practicing my moves."
Happy New Year.... I can't wait to read all the things that happen to you this year.... Maybe you could get a reality show... AMY'S LIFE. I'd watch it!
~~~Waldo
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