Notes Between Secret Neighbors

I have lived in Gainesville for more than two months now and still haven't met any of my neighbors.  Yesterday I had a strange interaction with one of them though.  After publishing my first post the other night, I didn't fall asleep until about 7 AM.  I almost just got up then and made breakfast, but I decided that trying to get even a few hours asleep would be better than none. But around 9:15, I could hear the bass of my neighbor's music loudly and clearly through my wall.  Angered, I heavily pounded my fist twice against the wall behind my head.  Without hesitation, the music softened.  Then I contemplated the situation.

I had just lost my temper with someone that I have never met.  A faceless person behind the wall.  Yes, it was inconsiderate to play music so loudly in the morning.  But its not like it was a reoccurring offense.  In fact, today was the first morning that I had been awakened by someone other than my roommate.  Samantha wakes me up on a daily basis. I hear her feet across the kitchen floor, the whistling tea kettle, and the squeak of the door when she leaves for work.  But its all easily forgiven.  She's my friend, and I know its just her morning routine.  I always fall back asleep when she leaves anyway.  Yet I was so easily angered by my anonymous neighbor for his one-time judgement lapse.

I didn't stay in bed very long after the music incident anyway.  A landscape crew soon started trimming the trees on both sides of my apartment with what sounded like the world's biggest fucking chainsaw.  As I got ready for work, something prompted me to write my neighbor a note.  Not a nasty note, but just a few words to acknowledge our interaction.  And I guess part of me wanted to make sure he didn't think I was a bitch for banging on his wall.  I drew him a picture too as icing on the cake because, seriously, who would be mad at this hedgehog?

Later that night, I found a friendly reply taped to the outside of our door:

Samantha and I joked about becoming "Secret Neighbors" or "Apartment Pen-pals" I haven't decided if I'm going to write back though.  Part of me wants to, but I don't feel like I have anything else relevant to say right now. My sleep deprived slap-happiness of that morning has worn off.  Maybe the mood will strike again someday.  I already see it.  I'll draw a picture of Princess Peach in a Bowser suit and invite him over for some Mario Party.  For now though, I guess he'll stay the faceless person on the other side of the wall.