Life Through the Walls

Living in a condo, you can hear many distinct portions of your neighbors's lives. You start to weave stories about them.

It starts in the morning when you faintly hear the alarm go off upstairs, followed by the roll of the drawers as you imagine clothes are being found and put on.

There's the pounding of kids' feet as they run down the stairs to go to school. Sometimes they yell a bit, too. At 7:45 a.m.

There are the old neighbors who don't talk but rather shout at each other since they are hard-of-hearing. "Mario".....

The soft sound of someone else's light music playing in the bathroom. Are they taking a bath?

Occasionally there are workers banging or owners who are pounding on the walls. Maybe they are renovating or just hanging a picture.

The toddler crying his way to sleep or squeeking with glee.

Children trample up the stairs and devour lunch. Plates are clanking on tables in someone else's house.

Two children roll marbles after lunch and a nap. It can go on for hours.

A father scolds his son.

"Nutella," says a young boy who is probably making his snack request.

Tonight there's a young woman's voice coming from the kitchen upstairs. Does Sig. F has a special visitor?

There's a bird chirping from a cage in the apartment across the way upon the arrival of his favorite owner.

The owners who are calling the cat to come upstairs, "Fulmine, Fulmine." (I know not to take my dog out for a walk just now.)

Everyone is private here but I am learning about their lives whether they like it or not.