rest has been begging all afternoon

Soon soon soon, love.

finally home in my top-floor abode

the end of consciousness is near

I slip into coziness and turn up the stillness

Oh love, I'm finally here...

but no.

silence chokes

tranquility cracks

obnoxious noise intrudes

I feel teenybopper bass notes incessantly bulge up from the floor below

boom boom boom

then cling

then clatter

then unruly girly chatter

Why now?

Why not some other unfortunate dot on the timeline of history?

annoyance resumes

cursing ensues

I draft multiple complaint texts but fail to send

I imagine various versions of the confrontation

I plug my ears

try the pillow poncho

the madness carries on for what feels like forever

then somehow, at some point along the way to insanity, I let bitterness surrender

my thoughts drift to an easier place

and in that moment the boom boom boom is replaced with the faint hum of my ceiling fan

giggles and gaggles scramble out the front door

car door slams just below my window

small driveway rocks rumble softly

into distance, engine fades

Ah love, here I am again

for real this time.

I slowly sip from reality and swish into dreams

Alas, I swallow silence

© Candice Reineke 2014