(no subject)

[urocyon]

I got upset not long before I wrote that last post, and was listening closely to decide if I needed to call the police. (Actually, my first impulse would have been to march over there, but that likely would have only made the situation worse.) These houses are rather close together, and the acoustics are strange, so that we can hear most of what is said on that side of their house if both sets of windows are open--in more of the house if it's loud--and I assume vice versa.

We have a new neighbor next door; she can't have been there more than a few weeks. With one notable exception [1], she has been very quiet and inoffensive up to this point. Tonight, she started yelling and screaming terrible things at her little boy, who can't be more than four years old. The woman sounded as if she'd been drinking, and she was yelling obscenities and insults in quite an abusive manner. (Being harried and snapping at a child is one thing; this was something entirely different, completely beyond the bounds of any reasonable idea of propriety.) My mother and I were in the same room hearing this, and started listening carefully for signs that things were escalating into physical violence. Thank goodness she seemed content to curse and belittle, as if that's not bad enough.

When my dad walked in and we hushed him, he informed us that she'd been at it most of the day, since 10:00 this morning, at least. (Maybe she'd been incidentally quieter about it while Mom and I were home.) Mom doesn't intend to let it slide, at any rate. That sort of verbal abuse isn't exactly legal, in itself. I generally hesitate to call the police on neighbors, or otherwise get authorities involved, but when it involves someone who can't defend himself, it doesn't bother me. There are few other (legal) alternatives.

This incident had a particularly bad effect on me--I'm getting a little worked up just writing about it now. It reminded me far too much of dealing with my deranged stepmother and my "real" father who went just plain crazy. The worst of their verbal (and other) abuse was reserved for my stepbrother, who lived with them all the time--and who had no other real backup or comparison--but I received a share of it. No child, nor naturally any other human being, should be treated like that.


[1] Several nights ago, there was quite an argy-bargy next door, with a man's voice involved--also several loud thudding noises. To our knowledge, a man hadn't been living there, and, from what we could hear, he sounded like an ex-husband or ex-boyfriend. This, as the main incident mentioned above, hardly required eavesdropping; half the neighborhood must have heard much of it (and apparently at least one thought to call the cops). It sounded very much like a not-so-nice ex had found her new address after she left Roanoke. By the time I'd made up my mind to grab a handy blunt object with a good grip and stomp over there--she really did sound in danger--the police came pulling up right after the thudding noises got going full tilt. Quick response, I have to give them that. So much for a nice, quiet neighborhood!

Comments

[megamole.livejournal.com]

Eeeep.

I have to say, in your position I wouldn't call the police yet but I'd keep a very close ear on things. I think I'd call the VERY NEXT TIME I heard anything like that happening.

[urocyon-c.livejournal.com]

Oh, you can bet that I'll be keeping sn ear out. (Must have neglected that bit in my post.) I do think I'll wait to lodge any sort of report--what my mother chooses to do is another, less predictable matter. Setting a recorder to catch some of these choice phrases is also tempting. Any sign of violence, and she'll swiftly be dealing with as many authorities as possible--if partially to avoid a swift kick in the rear from yours truly.

[vatine]

I know the feeling. I have, once or twice, had the sequence "outer door slams, telling, sudden loud music and heavy thumping noises" from upstairs.

[urocyon-c.livejournal.com]

Ah, helps me further appreciate what lovely neighbors you have up there. *grimace*

Things that makes floors go "thump" in the night

[vatine]

Well, I am not *sure* what the thumping noise was, as far as I know, it could've been an emergency late-night furniture move.

[urocyon-c.livejournal.com]

Now, that sounds like a student apartment one of my friends lived in for more than a year. In the apartment above hers, there was much late-night yelling, loud music, and what could only have been furniture-moving at 2 a.m. *g* Now, the rest I would expect (if find irritating) out of inebriation, but moving furniture? :)