The Sound of Music:
I remember watching an episode of a popular British Sitcom
some years ago when a boisterous party was ended by a furious neighbour cutting
an electricity cable and so pulling the plug on the festivities. Come to think
of it, this may have concluded with Richard Wilson aka Richard Meldrew blurting
out, “I don’t belieeeeeeve it!” before the credits rolled. Now, twenty years
on, a similar event could possibly be re-enacted in my neighbourhood any minute
now.
The party music hinted at in my last posting has now
reached epic proportions. It started Tuesday night and involved my nearest
acquaintances in Schoze entertaining the entire street with ear-bursting
decibels of Turkish songs until the early hours. That was two days ago and was
repeated on Wednesday and has again been rekindled tonight. This evening it is
extra loud. What’s more. I’ve since found out that it’s not next door who are
sending the bricks of the houses moving with the volume. No, the culprits are
two doors away! And the reason, a
wedding in three days time!
Should you ever find yourself getting married in Albania,
or to any Albanian, then you will go through a similar initiation process. The
most ear-splitting music will serenade your local street for at least five
nights before the big day, The message to everyone is, “we’re having a wedding
next weekend and we’re so happy.” In reply, the rest of the locality hide their
heads under pillows or put on industrial sized ear defenders. I feel sorry for
the children who’ve got to go to school early the next day. I sympathise with
the people from two kilometres away who are trying to watch the nightly
Brazilian soap operas. But especially I shed a tear for anyone who has to get
up the next morning.
My friends, Endri and Dyshi from a street away have
offered me refuge in their home. Frankly, this will make little difference as
they have two very young children who can compete most generously with any loud
noises. The option of driving five hours to North Albania, where the din may be
a faint whisper, is tempting. However I feel I may have to sit this one out. The
slow torture of death by Turkish music isn’t the worst prospect in the world.
On Sunday, the bride will be taken from her home in traditional fashion, looking
glum until she says her vows. I will be out to witness the scene, take
pictures, wish her every happiness and hope fervently that no one else in
Schoze will be so unkind as to get married in the foreseeable future. Alternatively,
a timely power-cut right now would be just beautiful.