Sunday, December 28, 2008

Christmas for Soprano Recorder

For Christmas, my son, gave a recorder and instruction booklets to me and my two grandchildren (note: neither of these children are his, nor do they live near him). If you are not familiar with the recorder, it is a small plastic flute like instrument that is played similarly to a clarinet. It is prone to squeaking. It can be very loud. It is difficult to play quietly. My grandchildren are seven years old. 
I live in a very small studio apartment in the upstairs of a house. My landlord, a dignified middle age man, lives in the rest of the house. The walls are so thin we sometimes find ourselves whistling the same tune.
My eldest daughter and my grandaughter live in a small four unit apartment building. It seems to be well insulated. I don't usually hear what her neighbors are up to except in the summer when everyone's windows are open. My daughter does not tolerate noise or discord well at all.
My grandson and his Mom live upstairs in a duplex home she owns. This daughter embodies chaos. The downstairs tenants are young men in their twenties whose tastes run to vidieo games like Halo and the guitar game.
Who do you suppose will kill my son first?
a) my landlord
b) daughter number one
c) daughter number one's neighbors?

I'll keep you posted.....