I’ve been listening to the cranked up bass above me for close to five hours. The Elephant, also known as The Neighbor From Hell (TNFH), started earlier than his typical start time. He cranked the music even louder at 10PM. I wanted to settle down and prepare for a decent night’s sleep but just couldn’t “get there” thanks to the disco tech upstairs. I finally had enough and decided to pay TNFH a friendly visit. As I made my way up each step, I began to feel a little scared. What if he was drunk or under the influence of an illegal substance? What if he had a temper and told me to fuck off? Was I making a smart choice or should I go downstairs and call the police? What if he says tells me he won’t turn the music down? What then? Would he push me down the stairs and leave me unconscious? It’s amazing how many thoughts can go through your mind in the thirty seconds it took to climb the stairs. I stood in front of his door for a couple of minutes before I developed the courage to knock. He opened his door slowly and looked surprised when I politely asked him to turn down music because we were trying to sleep. He was apologetic and agreed to turn down his tunes. As I climbed back into bed, I realized I was lucky that the situation was so easily resolved. It could’ve ended very differently. I’m happy that I stood up for myself and kept my emotions in check. Ironically, now that my apartment is quiet, I am no longer ready to sleep.