Surrounded by screamers
I can’t recall my parents ever having a genuine argument. Minor disagreements, yes. But real fights, never.
And probably because of that, the thing that makes my skin crawl like none other is when someone forces me into an argument in front of other people.
I can argue in private just fine. I don’t raise my voice too terribly loud, but I will still argue. But not if there’s a witness. I refuse to argue in front of other people. I’ll forfeit if I can’t convince my adversary to postpone or relocate the fight.
That is just background information for the rest of this post.
I live on a block full of people who are quite the opposite. Because public arguments freak me out, I’ve not had the guts to peek out the window and spy on the spectacles that seem to unfold in the street, at the top of their lungs.
My possibly faulty assumptions based on limited eavesdropping have led me to understand that there is a couple who lives down the block who prefer to finish off their arguments with one person fleeing into the middle of the street, shouting some rather alarming ultimatum, and then disappearing (do they drive off? I never hear a car start, but there’s never a reply to the screaming). Last week I saw TWO POLICE CARS in front of what may be their house. This makes me more comfortable with the idea of calling 911 next time I hear one of them yelling in the street.
And there are the neighbors who get a little shouty on the front lawn right before he leaves for work sometimes.
And then there is my duplex-mate, the cat lady who remains very mysterious. Today, for no discernible reason, she stomped to her back door and started screaming bloody murder, calling her cat to come inside. I can only guess that her shrill screams failed to lure the cat.
(I don’t like her cat. Partly because he’s ugly. Also because he’s kicked the pre-existing and more likable cat off my lawn. But mostly because the female cat who is in heat ALL THE FREAKING TIME did not need a male to mate with UNDER MY WINDOW WHEN I AM TRYING TO SLEEP. I’m pretty sure I blogged about having that same problem back in high school. LISTEN TO BOB BARKER, PEOPLE. SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PETS.)
Anyway. All the screaming, yelling, shouting and other loud angry noises that my neighbors make is really starting to get old. And progressively more unnerving. It seems the renters are more prone to random acts of crazy than the homeowners on the block, but they’re all nuts.
In conclusion: Crazies, please shut up.
