For a little background on this story, let me start out by saying that my neighbor is actually very sweet. She’s 90-years-old and technically lives alone. That was not always the case. Her daughter is the actual owner of her condo, and was living there when I first bought my unit. When the daughter got married about 15 years ago, her new husband moved in too. As the saying goes…
“First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage.”The baby was a screamer. He had a non-stop, ear-piercing scream that was only overshadowed by his non-stop, running back and forth across hardwood floors once he learned how to walk. Eventually the daughter, son-in-law, and by then, the five-year-old holy terror of a grandson moved out. Peace had come at long last…unfortunately, it wouldn’t last long enough.
Last year was a particularly challenging one for my neighbor, and subsequently, me. Several incidents occurred throughout the year, which would make a weaker person weep. I won’t go into too many of the details because this post would end up being longer than Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Let’s just say that sometime around the end of summer, my neighbor’s daughter decided it was time to renovate, as a result of some of these challenges. All of the flooring, cabinetry, bathroom fixtures…the whole shebang. Unfortunately, none of the work was done by professionals, and so, it was and is taking forever. The past 6-months have been like living in a warzone, and it’s not over yet. The noise level is off the charts, but to make matters worse…
Let me introduce you to Cujo. Before you ask…no, that’s not his real name, and no, he does not turn into an enormous, rabid dog monster... he just acts like one. This Cujo… is a small dog… a Yorkshire Terrier without the fancy haircut. He’s actually very cute but seems to suffer from a sort of short dog complex (if there is such a thing). He tries to exert his authority by growling and barking, as loud as his little lungs will allow... all day long!! I fully expect to hear him howling at the moon one of these nights.
Since my neighbor is up in years with limited mobility, her grandson comes over every day to walk the dog. He seems to be a good kid, but…he is a child and needs boundaries (and I need soundproofing in my ceiling). There is something that is sorely lacking in his upbringing. For example, the other day, my neighbor’s grandson was on his skateboard riding back and forth… popping wheelies… on the newly installed hardwood floors, right above my head. Skateboarding in the living room. Chasing the dog from room-to-room. Slamming the backdoor on each trip in and out of the building. Running up and down the stairs. Pounding his feet onto each wooden tread, like a double exclamation point at the end of a sentence. Just a few of the sound effects, I've enjoyed over recent months. I spoke to the grandson about the skateboarding in the house, and also asked that he try to tread a little lighter on the backstairs and go easy on the door slamming, but he is a kid, and as they say, kids will be kids. Of course, it is also said that children learn by example. Just remember...if never disciplined when these examples go awry…one day you may find them building a fire pit in the middle of your hardwood floors…it’s something to think about. As for Cujo, one or two semesters at a doggy charm school or better still…reform school, (take your pick) wouldn’t hurt him a bit.
Last Saturday afternoon, I was in the basement doing laundry. There was an unmistakable odor of gas in the air. I knocked on my neighbor’s backdoor. She didn’t answer right away, and I was concerned that she might have been overcome by the smell, so I knocked harder. This time, she opened the door. She seemed a little frazzled and slightly annoyed. I told her I smelled gas and wanted to make sure she was alright, and maybe she should check her stove. She looked at me like she thought I was crazy and had no idea why I would assume the smell was coming from her unit (hmm…maybe because it's happened before? 🤔).
Meanwhile, Cujo came flying out of nowhere…and charged the enemy line, i.e., me. He jumped up and tried to bite me. Luckily, he only tore a hole in the knee of my jeans and not my actual kneecap. I still don’t know if I was more shocked by the fact that this little mutt was able to jump that high… or that he tried to bite me. In either case, the dog had to be restrained because he was still operating in attack mode, even after I swatted him across the nose.
Once things calmed down, my neighbor took me into her kitchen so that I could see for myself that her stove was just fine. As it turned out… the gaseous odor that was permeating the hallways of the building was actually some kind of culinary delight that she was whipping up on her stovetop. Based on the smell alone… I think she should have ordered a pizza.
As for the star of this post… not much has changed. Cujo still growls and barks at every sound he hears and tries to lunge at anyone that comes within ten feet of him. On our few run-ins, and after glowering at each other suspiciously, Cujo and I have reached an understanding. I don’t like him, and well… he doesn’t like anybody.
The Yorkie sketches appearing in this post are based on photographs. The sources of the photos are listed below:
https://yorkiemag.com/parti-yorkies/
https://w-dog.pw/wallpaper/yorkshire-terrier-new-york-dog-running-grass-lawn/id/262385/
Great post, but good grief, I don't know how you stand it. I had a condo once and after four years of trying to live with the neighbors' noise (on both sides and overhead) I sold it and moved. It just wasn't worth it. I live in an apartment now, with no one above me and blessedly quiet neighbors on both sides. It's such a relief!
ReplyDeleteIt's actually gotten a little better It's a challenge, but it helps keep me sharp.
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