12 September 2007

Shaking that Arse

Believe me there is a very good reason for that outrageous title.
I'm normally more conservative.

For almost all of 2007, our neighbouring block of land has been towered over by scaffolding and invaded by trucks, loud workmen and no less loud workmen toys. Every weekday, I have been regularly awoken around 6:00 or 6:30 by truck alarms, over enthusiastic drilling, hammering, calls of mateship and forceful rattling of materials and pipes.

It has NOT been a happy year. Oh, no.

Our unit is immediately adjacent to this inferno and there have been days where I've woken up ANGRY, vexed, confused, defeated and tired.

So anyway, this week: TADA! They removed the scaffolding!!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are finally getting somewhere. I may just be able to cacth up on sleep. The ugly construction cocoon was removed to unveil the no less ugly, brown facade of the brand new kid in the block. And obviously, the guys are very happy. I'm not kidding, I saw two of them, sitting across the road having a chat while admiring their chef d'oeuvre.

Part of me wants to strangle those workmen. I want revenge for all those interrupted nights, those panic attacks, the incessant noise etc...
But I've softened up. You see, it's been a long year and we got acquainted. So over time, I've become strangely attached to them. When they chirp loudly in the morning, I hear it. Whatever they blast out of their obnoxious radio, I sing along to it. Whenever they peer over their perched positions to ogle my breasts as I walk out of the unit, I'm highly aware of it. They've whistled, they've joked. We've developed a sort of relationship over these months.

This week was the funniest. I was dreaming. It was around 6:30 in the morning. And I heard a distant voice singing a happy tune. I awake wondering what my buddies are up to....I soon tune into that deep, nasal voice...and I hear him, singing happily to himself:

"shaking that arse..."

(pause)

"shaking that arse..."

(pause)

"shaking that arse..."

1 comment:

Reuben said...

Whatever happened to just whistling while you work?

Well, its kinda boring.

I guess you're kinda lucky that alot of stuff on the radio is slanted towards dance or hip hop. And thats pretty hard to sing along to.

Now back in my younger days, when the Js were playing alot more alternative stuff.. well, just imagine living on a canal estate (say, Raby Bay in Cleveland), and having some yodeling yahoo bellowing out "Whats going on? I say hey hey hey hey-hey, hey hey hey. I said hey, whats going on?" (from Concrete Blonde). Not that it was me, just folks I worked with on the building site.

I prefer to do all my yodeling in the privacy of my car, where I'm not likely to be heard over the sound of my car, then music that is playing and hopefully whatever music other drivers are listening too. I seem to be doing a regular switch between The National, Muse, Nine Inch Nails (Year Zero) and Marilyn Manson (Holywood). All very good for yodeling along too.

Which reminds me, I really should put those throat singing tutorials on the ipod, now that I have about 15-25min drive to and from work again.