SATURDAY THOUGHTS: IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

I saw a post on Facebook around 5:00 PM yesterday, indicating that pianist, Anthony Walker and Philadelphia's inspirational jazz band, "Breath of Heaven" were in concert at Living Word Church at 7:00 PM. Great jazz was coming to Bellevue! 

It was much too close to home for me to miss it, so I got my post-Thanksgiving, lazy self together, and went. 

There is nothing like well-performed, live music! The musicians so perfectly blended with one another. Their skill was admirable and the sounds were so wonderfully harmonious. 

I really felt great when I left.

The sounds that caught my attention this morning, however weren't so great. It was such a stark contrast to the ear candy from last night. 

I was awake, so it wasn't a huge deal, just fodder to write about, I suppose. 

People in the neighborhood apparently, and coincidentally said to themselves, "I think I'm going to get up this fine Saturday morning, go outside and attempt to talk as loudly as I can". 

Two guys were carrying on so ridiculously, around 7:30, that I was compelled to visit YouTube and listen to all 14 minutes and 45 seconds of James Brown's "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing". 

I don't know why their conversation couldn't have been taken inside, except that maybe someone inside wasn't going to put up with it so very early in the morning. 

I had to laugh at it all. James was right. I certainly couldn't open my window tell them which way to go, because they were "three times seven, and then some more." 

I sure wished they would tone it down though.

I submit that a lot of other people's business, serious, intimate or trivial, the exposure of which, they ponder and frustrate themselves about, could be kept hidden if only people would notice the volume of their own voices. 

Maybe some people don't think it prudent to wait until they are within earshot of the person to whom they wish to speak. 

When people are arguing, perhaps the last thing they consider is who's listening unintentionally. 

What is it that makes folk wake up in the morning, and just crank up the conversation to full blast?
Maybe people don't think there's any possibility of disturbing others who are behind closed windows, doors, and brick walls. 

Maybe they want to be overheard as they discuss what they bought, where they're going, what they have, who said or did what, when and where, addresses, phone numbers, and plans. 

I don't think some people know just how far and clearly their out-of-doors, or stairwell conversations actually travel. 

Perhaps I wasn't supposed to know who had the car last, and used all of the gas, or if there was no Sutter Home Moscato at the corner store, or that the old girlfriend now knows where the new girlfriend lives because she followed the old boyfriend, or that one person's groceries were 30-some dollars, and another persons came to 20-some dollars and that made 50-some dollars, and the big soap powder purchased will last the both of them. 

I do now. 

Now what's a person to do with the information that blended itself with the sounds of traffic, birds chirping, and a brisk November wind? Nothing I guess.

"Good luck to you over there, Mr. Loud and Wrong." 

#noise

#voices

#thehood