It is Saturday night, I am working, the neighbors have amazing music, I feel like asking the crooks to turn it up…
In my misspent youth, I soon determined that where party music sounds good, you can obtain a bottle of wine, dress nicely, smile, say “John invited us”, and you are obviously in.
But there are times when it didn’t quite go in line with plan…
Such because time when I (Caucasian) and many Asian friends aimed to gatecrash an event that sounded just amazing, great music, awesome music system, we ended up so excited… We got our alcoholic offerings and knocked within the door. A smiling black man answered the entrance, with smiling black people from 4 generations behind him inside living room, all bearing a notable similarity in looks, donning their Sunday best, and well, you might have perhaps guessed it, a household celebration! Red-faced, we quickly made our excuses. We had an incorrect address we said. We went back to homes and watched TV on our own…
Years later, obviously this fiasco was forgotten, as I was tempted all over again. I had not learnt my lesson.
My down the street neighbours did actually party every single day. And I had not been invited. The music, coming with the thick concrete walls, sounded amazing. The heavy bass, a good beat, along with the sound of the laughter, well it had been more than I could bear! So, with a bottle of a good wine, I gathered up my courage and knocked on their own door; the purpose of no return. The door opened, they smiled broadly and said sure, I was over welcome. They invited me in and I could see citizens were sat across the TV. Not many people actually, merely a handful. All watching the film Jungle Book and singing and clapping along. I did not like Jungle Book. Oh dear. It was an extended night.
My face ached after hours of forcing a smile on my small face. My arms ached after hours of forcing myself to clap. Only my voice was intact, but that’s because I didn’t understand the words towards the songs.
As soon as being the film finally was capable to finish, I thanked them as sincerely as I could muster and retreated towards the relative excitement of home.
Needless to convey, which was the last party that I gatecrashed. Lesson learned.
The neighbours’ music down the street (different property) sounds great as I write. I simply tap with the temptation. It goes away. I enjoy the background music from afar. Life is good.