There’s a slight possibility the neighbors across the way moved in for the sole purpose of testing my patience.  Thankfully, their respective annoyances are solo; they do not typically join in chorus.  Except for last night.  Last night, when I was frantically trying to finish editing; last night, when I desperately needed peace and quiet, they all joined in… 

Neighbor #2:  I refer to him as neighbor #2 since he abides in the in the middle house.  I’m not really sure what the story is, but someone in that household rides a motorcycle, in circles, in the backyard.  Round-and-around-and-around for hours at a time.  There really isn’t a strong enough word for just how annoying this is; the only reason I have not personally gone over there and hurt the individual is because I keep telling myself he must be autistic or something.  Autistic and the regular looping motion is the ONLY thing that can calm his nerves.   I mean really.  What other explanation could there possibly be?  It certainly couldn’t be to get on my last and final nerve.  Right?!  So off he went last night – Va-a-ROO-oom; va-a-ROO-oom; va-a-ROO-oom …

Neighbor #1:  The neighbor to the left of #2 – herein referred to as Neighbor #1 – has a hound dog.  Now, Neighbor #1 has apparently left for an excursion of one sort or another, which means his poor pups is even more distraught than usual.  And, as hound dogs do, he likes to share his misery.  Much like he did last night.  After approximately five rounds of the motorcycle, he started in – A-ru.  A-ru.  A-ru-ru-u-u; A-ru.  A-ru.  A-ru-u-u-u; A-ru.  A-ru.  A-ru-u-u-u …

Neighbor #3:  Neighbor #3 is the only one I have ever actually met.  Our conversation didn’t last long; apparently he couldn’t hear a thing I said unless I yelled it.  And I’ll tell you why:  he likes to share his music with anyone within a five mile radius.  Or, maybe he’s just trying to drown out Neighbors 1 & 2.  There’s no way of knowing.  What I do know, however, is that he pumped up the volume not long after the hound started belting his tune – Bada-dada-da-da; Bada-dada-da-da; Bada-dada-da-da…

Now if I thought one was bad, all three – together – is positively dreadful.    Bada-dada-da-da – A-ru.  A-ru. -  Bada-dada-da-da – va-a-ROO – Bada-dada-da-da -va-ru-u-u … After about an hour I began to mull my options – all of which probably would have landed me in jail.  And let’s be serious – I don’t have the time for that!  So I did the only thing left to do; I flung my editing to the ground, curled up in a ball, and put a pillow over my head. 

We can only hope all’s quiet on the home-front tonight.