My Neighbour

There are some people in this world whom you should never have a run-in if your life depends on it. In-laws (especially MOTHER-in-law. It is an innate quality for most women to not forgive and/or forget), colleagues (you see them more often than you see anyone else), boss (you are f*cked! Forget about that increment...) and neighbours (they know who lives in your unit, what living style you adopt, what your underwear looks like).

I went through it, albeit a slight one (actually how should I define 'slight'? It's not like there's a meter to measure this sorta thing) last weekend.

For months I had tolerated with their frequent drilling, the screechy sound of furniture being dragged across the floor, their dog pit-pattering across, marbles dropping on the floor at anytime of the day...and night, etc. So while I was watching a movie in a blissful state and my troops were napping, this sudden loud drilling came directly above my head! I was shocked and angered. True enough, the troops were jolted from their slumberland and Mong was shrieking, inconsolable. That angered me even more, so I trudged upstairs immediately and rang the doorbell.

Once, twice...nothing. Then I heard a child's voice inside so I was certain at least an adult was home. I knocked on the wooden door a few times and finally, a crack opened. The face that met me wasn't polite. The attitude that accompanied it was even worse - she was haughty and defensive while explaining to me about decibels and that 'drilling was community noise'.

Community noise??!!! Drilling??? I told her I wasn't convinced because there are time restrictions and since it was a Sunday, actually no prolonged drilling should be allowed. She was almost close to slamming the door when she kept going, "You can check with NEA. OK?....OK?!" What was I to do? So I said "OK" and with that, she closed the door. *bitch!*

Seething, I called the neighbourhood police to confirm there is no 'acceptable decibel' but for drilling works to be carried out, it boiled down to how long and if the resident/s was tolerant enough. *ha! I win!* A few exciting options swam my mind. I could either get the police to check on them or slip in a note, quoting so-and-so about her being wrong. Well, luckily I managed to calm down and stay rationale within 10 seconds. No sense in worsening things with your neighbours. Also, I still had that lovely movie to complete...and Mong was already pacified and resuming his nap. So I went back to my normal life and decided to close the case.

The highlight of my Sunday.