On the Bottom Half

Size Matters.

So I got into my very first fight this morning. It involved a heavy ceramic telegraph-line insulator and some large and heavy speakers.

But, in my truest fashion, no fists were thrown. Instead, Toby Keith did my dirty work and thanks to a former roommate's stereo system on loan to me, my punch hurt a lot more than the loser's.

There I was sleeping peacefully when my roommate gets up to watch the World Cup soccer at about 0200. No problem, he's not too loud, I'll just roll over and go back to sleep. Thud, thud, thuddy-thuddy-thud, thud-thud, thud. Thud, thud, thuddy-thuddy-thud, thud-thud, thud. Oh, for frick's sake, who's the retard playing music that loud at 0200 in the morning?

The noise was coming from the far corner of my bedroom, which is where my head rests when I'm in bed. I think that the sound is being generated in the neighbouring unit, because we share a common wall and I couldn't believe that someone's music from a nearby house could conduct quite that well through my walls. But, I have to be sure before I take any drastic action, so I get dressed, go outside, and walk around to the houses next door to see if I can hear this noise any better.

Nope, everyone's quiet. And the only house besides mine that has any light on and that could possibly be making that kind of noise is the adjoining unit.

Okay, first salvo: slamming fist into the shared wall. First round: me - 0, irritating R&B 'music' - 1.

Second salvo: slamming the heavy ceramic insulator into the shared wall, but protecting the wall from damage by using a book as a hammering plate. Second round: me - 1, irritating R&B 'music' - 1. Score: 1 - 2. I got a response from someone in the other unit that consisted of 4 answering pounds. Good, so they're awake.

But, the music is still loud and annoying. One last check to try and ensure that it is, in fact, the adjoining unit being stupid. Yup, as far as I can tell... time for the heavy guns: Toby Keith and some good ol' honky-tonk country music!

First some info about the stereo system. A former roommate had to leave on short notice, so he's left his stereo with me until he can sell it. It's a Sony concoction that is made to be a loud-speaker system with about 400 watts average power (over two speakers and a separate subwoofer) and 4300 watts peak power. It can be VERY loud for short periods of time.

In goes the Toby Keith CD, 'On' goes the subwoofer, and up goes the volume. I got it to about '30' before I couldn't stand to stay in my room any longer. So I grabbed the remote, stepped into the hallway, closed my door and stood on the stairs until the first song finished. I was really hoping for a knock on the door asking me to turn it down, hoping also that it wouldn't be the police, but alas, I got nothing. However, with the music playing so loud, the bottommost stairs were vibrating and shaking, so perhaps I didn't hear them knock.

Okay, my neighbours have ALL had a little Toby Keith shoved up their eardrums at 0230 in the morning, maybe that was enough.

Still, I had to wait until the song finished beacuse it was too loud to go in and turn it off. Anyway, off goes the loudspeakers and what do I hear from next door? Nothing.

Third salvo: me - 2, irritating R&B 'music - (-1); final score: 3 - 1. I win!

At least for one night. And man am I tired.

posted by Kyle @ 16:44