4.10.2010

Neighbs.

A few minutes ago, someone was knocking on our neighbors door for over ten minutes.

Because our front doors are approximately 1 ft. apart from each other, the sound of someone knocking on our neighbors door is 95% as loud as someone knocking on our own front door.
Because of this, I often cannot tell whose door is being knocked on. This leads to the occasional not opening our door when I think it is being knocked on because I think it is the neighbors door, or me answering our door when it is actually the neighbors door being knocked on.

Because I was in the kitchen, right by the front door, I could tell for certain it wasn't our door being knocked on. Despite this, after about 5 minutes of knocking had passed, I was curious to see who the eternal knocker was, and so pretended I thought they were knocking on my door.

I expected to see someone young, but was surprised to see an older couple, perhaps in their 60's, with a dog. When I opened my door, they looked at me with the look of death then looked away. I surmised these were likely the parents of the female half of the couple which is my neighbors. I went back inside and the knocking continued for at least 5 more minutes. I even heard them try and open the door a couple times.

While the knocking wore on, I couldn't remember if my neighbors were home or not. Although I can hear nearly every sound they make, it is so ubiquitous I tend to tune it out.

I decided they probably were not home, as I had never heard them not answer their door for anyone before.

I felt both amused and slightly annoyed that the 60 year old couple kept knocking.

Clearly my neighbors were either not home or didn't want to be bothered. Our duplex is fairly small, so unless you have headphones on, there is virtually no chance you would miss the sound of the door being knocked. The bedroom is directly above the front door, so even if you are asleep, it resonates loudly enough to awake even a deep sleeper.

Even if they were home, what did these knockers think would happen? That after 10 minutes of knocking they would suddenly open the door? After 10 minutes, so much time has passed that to open the door would be the most awkward of all possible choices.

Eventually the knocking ceased. About 1 minute later I heard the hum of our neighbors lives resume. Apparently they HAD been home the entire time and were avoiding the door.
I'd be interested to know the reason.

3 comments:

Starman said...

I wish you could have somehow snuck into their apartment and answered their door a few minutes after you had opened yours. That would have been amazing. In fact, that's how I remember it happening and it was amazing. I am glad you did that, it was really funny and kind of magical. They were so confused.

We Are Three said...

The end of that story was a mind bend. I was not excepting the couple to be home and am also curious as to why the couple was knocking so persistently.

Chris Almond said...

Heather,
I'm really glad the ending was a mind bend. That is exactly what I was trying for, but wasn't sure it worked.
and L'homme,
I too am amazed at how I was able to get into my neighbors apartment and open the door. Boy were those people so surprised!