At 7.30 this morning I was woken as the young boy they raise in the room next to mine started screaming.
His grand-mother was forcing him to do something, as she often is. He objected, and started to cry.
When he cries, she won't smack him, or scold him. Modern parenting skills won't allow it - or maybe she's just too soft.
The woman says nothing. She carries on fussing over the boy, so his crying gets louder.
The old woman is mother to the boy's father.
Two other women live in the same extended family: the child's mother, and her sister. They rent one room next to mine, and another one across the hall.
They keep the door to their place open, even when the child is crying, as they do not care what their neighbours think.
The sister is pregnant. The boy's father impregnated both women - first, one sister, then to keep the other happy perhaps, impregnated the other. By the looks of her swollen stomach, the sister is expecting her child any day.
Good news - the first child of the litter will then have to compete for adults' attention, and hopefully the old woman will be run off her feet.
I am not one of those farang who, when confronted with a problem, retires to a quiet place, assumes the lotus position, and tries to meditate the problem away.
If someone irritates me with noise, I will get back at him by doing the same.
I turned up my stereo, flung open the door, and glowered at the grandmother. Then I went down to the condo office to complain.
now, see part 2
What wonderful neighbors you got there. I'm with ya, though, fight fire with fire :3
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