It’s a beautiful Monday night, warm and slightly breezy. I whip in along the path and some neighbours were clearly having a party. These neighbours are the kind of blokes you would give a bit of extra personal space if you met them on the street. You would be a bit uncertain about making eye contact lest they respond with a request for money or smokes, or a long tirade or perhaps violence, and they are a bit on the whiffy side at the best of times. But in any case they are my neighbours, and in many ways they are but young, rebellious men who never grew up. Just trying to have a party.

The heavy metal is pouring out of the upstairs speakers (they are their owner’s pride and joy, but they are rarely up this loud!), making it hard for the whole apartment complex to hear their news and today tonight, and all I can think of is naughty boys waiting for Mum to come and tell them to turn the music down. Cos it really is ridiculously loud.

AND THEN, at TOP volume, I hear Queen come on, singing “Don’t stop me now! Cos I’m having such a good time, I’m having a ball!” and its such a manic, cheeky song I cant stop giggling. They play it twice, even coming out onto the lawn to sing the second time around! I can just imagine the air guitar that must be happening out on the lawn right now!

And then the volume drops, I can just hear the murmur of reasonably pitched men’s voices, some discussion (with police?), and then silence. But suddenly they are all back out on the lawn, and yes, finally taking the party to the pub. Good onya boys. Catch ya later.

1.30am: zzzzzzzzzzzzzoooooOOOOOOMMMM, someone is having fun in their car, racing around the streets. Very near here. Hmmm, around the block actually, and now up and down my street and ouch! Was that a wee bit of a crash I just heard? A bit of kerb connection? Doesnt seem to have stopped them…

Hmmm, i have a feeling that car is stolen…

I wonder…

if the lads could have....?

Nah, surely not.

And in my mind I hear Queen again; “...cos I’m having such a good time, I’m having a ball!”

Heh, oh dear, I know I would be angry if it was my car but damn, I’ve got the giggles again. Its like living on the set of Shameless sometimes!

• Fiona said on 08/02/29 at 12:18 PM.....

  I loved this blog! I’m once again in transit, and have been reading one of my favourite authors while on various flights and waiting. That would be the good Tom Robbins, and he’s not only been singing the praises of redheaded women, but also promotong playfulness as the gateway to true “crazy wisdom”. In the words of Pan in “Jitterbug Perfume, we all need to “lighten up”