Remember that the handyman working next door said he would be moving the sound system out of the bedroom last Sunday? (See here.) Well, he didn't. Last night, as I lay down to take a brief nap before the New Year's celebrations began, the music started up again, loud as ever. So I called him on the phone, and he admitted he hadn't removed the stereo from the room, said he would turn it off while I took my nap, and asked me to call him when I got up. I was then able to sleep undisturbed for an hour. Afterwards I called him repeatedly but he didn't answer.
The music resumed after midnight, which didn't bother us. But by 3:00 a.m. when it was still blasting, I called him up again. He said that Security had told him that, it being New Year's, he was allowed to blast the music till 5:00. (I.e., he was being an asshole.) After I told him I'd call the police, he started banging on the wall between the apartments!
To make a long story short, I went out into the hall. The owner (his sister, not a friend) had just happened to stop by on her way back to her parents' from a party. She told me her brother had had a lot to drink and that he's not well, may not have much longer to live (I didn't ask), and takes medication. He was wild at first (as I observed) but the sister managed to calm him down. (That was the first time I'd seen what he looked like.) Finally we all shook hands, they showed me the work he'd been doing (not so great but then it was pretty dark in there), and I invited them over and gave them a glass of champagne.
The sister, who is attractive and well-groomed (unlike the brother) and has always been polite, had received my letter about the noise and was extremely apologetic. Let's see what happens. The work is supposed to be finished this week. (I told them, half-jokingly, to get an iPod.)
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