let's make some noise

The only contact I've had with my downstairs neighbor since we moved in has been in the form of stomping hard on the floor in response to her hitting her ceiling to signal us to be quieter. We've also heard her fighting with her boyfriend through the floor on numerous occasions. Oh, and once at 4 a.m. she randomly buzzed me, pleading to let her in because she's locked out (when she at last got to her apartment, a screaming fight with her boyfriend ensued over her waiting outside in the middle of the night for over an hour.)

So today I was walking my dog, Jolly, and a tall, round woman in shorts and a tank top, cigarette in hand, asks me if she can ask me a question, was I her upstairs neighbor? I said yes, and she proceeded to tell me that we make a lot of noise late at night, and don't we have rugs? Yes, I explain, but you know we only moved in a couple of months ago (December, she points out) and we're working on it (rugs are really freakin' expensive!) She understands because her boyfriend works late, and she can just take a sleeping pill and go back to sleep, but gosh do we make a lot of noise, and don't forget, we have downstairs neighbors!

I was a little off-put by her rant and so was the boy. But I do think a few strategically placed rugs are in order, and I'll just pretend it wasn't catalyzed by her suggestion.