Six in the morning, deep into the REM stages of slumber.
Sixteen paws, each holding four pointed, thick nails loudly ticking and tacking against the constantly creaking wood floor directly above.
For dogs this is the best time to romp around. Wood antiques, loose window panes, and random metal trinkets hanging from rusted nails in drywall clamor loudly.
A screeching voice pierces the air every fifteen minutes, "STOP!"
What is with all the fucking noise? Too many goddamn dogs in the house.
Eight AM, the phone rings...ignore. The phone rings again...ignore. It rings once more, plastic cracks against a concrete basement wall then hits the floor.
Two PM, loud stomping shakes the ceiling, two voices speak for a few seconds then loudly scream at one another. The words are pointless, suffocated by the noise.
A car door shuts, peeling tires squeal.
Five PM, the door slams, a solo voice deeply growls into the phone. A grunting soliloquy of four-letter words shoots through bone then trails off. The door slams again.
How can anyone think with all the noise?
Seven PM, Outside for a cigarette to calm the nerves. The sunset is magnificent, deep red and blue skies greet sparkling darkness.
The scene is interrupted by a coach's whistle.
"Don't ever do that again!" He hollers to an eleven year old, plastic pads crash over and over.
Being told what to do loses effectiveness with age, but the noise will always strike a nerve. Ask the hypocrite middle-aged neighbor, calling the police on teens with a house to themselves on Friday night.
The noise destroys concentration, boils the blood, it can cause madness.
The only thing worse than the noise, is no noise at all.
