4:35 AM

I am struggling to be impressed with the fact that my neighbors can party until this hour. I mean, that is impressive, no? Clearly they have stamina, in part, because they are young. But their dedication to partying is also admirable.

I wonder, quietly to myself, if this is the apartment from which the stretcher emerged last spring when I awoke at 3:00 am to the thunder of the fire engine motor outside my window.

I wonder if it was one of their friends who drove a car onto the wall next to my apartment last spring and then asked any and all passers-by for help until he got tired and then left the car there to take a nap. It was a bit of a comedic scene until one of the helpers called the police and I woke to the huge towing truck's engine roaring outside my window.

Dedication.

I am also struggling to be impressed with how they project their voices so forcefully after a night of partying. Some nights I am amused by their conversations, redundant as they may be sometimes. I imagine they yell the same phrase over and over to be sure we are all clear on what has been said. You wouldn't want your audience left wondering.

This morning, me neighbor of the wild dyed black hair and ripped tights is wearing jingle bells that she seems to play by running back and forth beneath my window. Clearly those bells are accompaniment to the vocals she intones.

Perhaps she wanted to be sure not to get lost. Or she could be just announcing a bunch of angels getting their wings. [brownie points to those who can name that movie.]

I am just hoping none of them have car keys now. It is plenty warm enough to sleep right there on the grass though the sun will be up in a few hours.

Ah... I have now been awake long enough for my alarm to go off.

This might be a sign that I should move.

Maybe.

[You will have to draw your own illustrations for this post.]