New neighbours moving in, muffled sounds coming through my living room wall. The adjoining wall. That unusually thin partition that both separates and joins me to my neighbours. The common wall. Possibly only a dry wall.
I’ve learned a few things about common walls. Never put the head of your bed against one. Either you’ll keep your neighbour awake with your snoring, or they will keep you awake with their lovemaking (or vice versa if you are fortunate).
Don’t put your stereo, TV, computer, gaming device or similar repetitive noise maker (a relative) against one. You’d be amazed how far sound travels and how loud it is next door, above and below you. I am startled by how many people who insist on doing this don’t know what headphones are. It’d solve most of the problems, save the talkative relative.
There are hundreds of things to complain about whenever you share a dwelling with 400 other people, but noise tops the list. It’s all those things happening on the other side of those adjoining walls. Of course!
But right now I am the offender. I have a very bad cold. Very bad. I spend the wee hours of the night with a dry hacking cough. I curl up on the sofa in the living room to spare my neighbours sleep, but at 2 a.m. probably everyone within 5 floors of me has heard I am sick.
I am currently blessed to be nestled between two very quiet neighbours. But I dream of living somewhere where the adjoining walls are with nature. The only form of pleasant annoyance would be birds, crickets and frogs singing, rain pattering, wind whooshing, maybe waves lapping. Or perhaps, the sound of nothing at all, like I experienced in the desert. And I won’t disturb anyone.
However, as I get older, and a bit deafer, I tend to get louder and my neighbours quieter, strange that.
Think I’ll go practice my flute now.
Don’t worry – it’s only for 25 minutes.
In the dining room.
It’s 2 p.m.
Mostly it’ll be a few toots, mixed with coughs.
All of you are at work.
Far from adjoining walls.