Further observations on my downstairs neighbor

In case you missed the first set...

Ok, I feel the need to get this down. About 15 minutes ago (as I wrote this in an email to a friend), I woke up and went to the bathroom. I could hear our friend, the flower snoring beneath me.

I turned on my space heater and was about to get a drink before going back to bed when I heard a knock at my door. "Who is it?" I said, pretty sure that I knew who it was. "It's Derek" (the delicate flower.).

The following conversation took place (as best I recall) after I unlocked and opened the door-which, BTW, took me three or more tries--just woke up, remember.

DF: Could you turn down whatever's playing, please? (he may not have said please).

Me (incredulously): The music?

(let me explain why I was incredulous. What he was talking about--we have to assume--was the music coming from my little iPod speakers the size of one hand.

But what kind of music, you may wonder. One of my thumping dancefloor anthems? No, strangely enough I don't find my Kylie Minogue terribly soothing for sleep, so I was listening to the likes of the soundtrack to Godspell, and Miles Davis. Y'know, hard-hitting stuff like that.

The speakers were on the floor next to my bed, yes--where I've had them many nights before without complaint. Now back to our exchange)

DF: Well whatever it is, I can hear it.

Me: You have remarkably keen ears.

DF: Are you being snotty?

Me: What time is it?

DF: It's five AM.

Me: Ok, I'm being snotty. You see this thing on my nose? (I was indicating one of the nasal strips I had bought a few days ago). This is something I got to help me breathe easier so that I wouldn't disturb you with my horrible snoring. I have gone to more trouble for you than I have for some women I have known. We live in an apartment. Deal with it.

And I shut (did not slam) and locked the door.

(Neither of us raised our voices during the discussion, BTW)

Now, I think I have a pretty good idea what happened. Obviously, something about my getting out of bed, walking the few feet to the bathroom and using it woke him. And I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about that.

Remember, I know for a fact that he'd been sleeping not five minutes before, so I don't think it was my hard-rockin music...but whatever. Rather than take the few minutes it would've taken to go back to sleep, as you or I would...he decided he had the right to come up here and complain to me.

BTW, I could hear him snoring again as I was writing this, so I know I didn't terribly upset his sleep patterns. I wish I had a "sum-it-all-up" paragraph here, but I don't. As I say, I just wanted to get this down. But I do feel pretty safe in saying: It's not me. It's him.

Now, to try to return to my own blissful tranquility...