How frustrated and helpless? Lately, when my daughter is practising piano, I get my estate’s guard and policemen coming to visit me. I got complained by my nice neighbour.

I phoned to the police station, tried to find out what is the legal time zone I could practise piano, and learned that there are no legal time zone for playing any kind of music instrutment,

小時候,看到放在音樂室的木身鋼琴,多麼希望自己能彈出一手好歌。就是只一首也好。

我對音樂的認識很膚淺,但我知道鋼琴是一種學習基礎基本功的樂器。而且,由鋼琴彈出來的音樂,變化之大,它可
以溫柔婉矣,盪氣迴腸,可以慷慨激昂,如泣如訴,對我而言,琴音,是世上最美麗動人的樂音。

小时候,看到放在音乐室的木身钢琴,多么希望自己能弹出一手好歌。就是只一首也好。

我对音乐的认识很肤浅,但我知道钢琴是一种学习基础基本功的乐器。而且,由钢琴弹出来的音乐,变化之大,它可以温柔婉矣,荡气回肠,可以慷慨激昂,如泣如诉,对我而言,琴音,是世上最美丽动人的乐音。

as long as there is a complain, they have to take action, they can’t really make a charge, but they have to come out to advice you to be quiet. What are waste of our tax money just because of someone does not know how to appreciate music – nice one.

I have been living in this place for the last three years. We get on with our neighbour so well, one level eight families, when ever we bump into each other, we would stop for a chat or a quick smile and a hello while we were in a rush. My daughter has been practising piano all this time. We were careful and concern, I must say. We will never practise before and after 10 o’clock in the day time. So far we were living here happily until this Autumn.

I have the guard visit me at 10:15am and the policemen came out for us around 11:45am to beg us either to stop or to lower our piano sound. The policeman even suggest us to shut all our windows, which we done already, or to lower the piano noise, which we done already, and then to invest some kind of sound proof facilities on our house wall, which is not anyone could afford to do so or if you are only renting your place.

My shocking was, when did piano become a noise pollution?

I can understand if someone plays Rock, opera, orchestra or sings karaoke the whole day next to me, it would be quite disturbing, but come on; piano? it’s one of the most soft romantic music instruments.

And why now?

We do not have any new neighbour so far, so, if we were really making any inconvenience, why not come direct to discuss with us instead of doing this dirty things behind people’s back?

Last night, the guard come again at nine o’clock. To make his work easier, we stop practising, but this made me so angry and kept thinking.

We could hear the guard were actually talking to our next door. Those couple were so kind to us all the time, until lately, the lady become a bit of funny to me after we decided not to use any domestic helper anymore.

She once said to me after my domestic helper quit her job, “as long as you got the money, you don’t worry got no helper.”

But ever since I told her that we decided not to employ any domestic helper  anymore since we had twice bad experience with them, she gave me a very cold face and said “Oh, you really are the bad luck one.”

After this time, every time she saw me, she still ask me if I will get any other domestic helper again.

Another time I bump into her husband; the man wanted to show he is more open minded? He asked me the same question, and I gave him the same answer, he said to me, “If not because of we are old, and have our grand daughter to look after, and does not want our daughter-in-law work so hard, we really don’t want a domestic helper too.”

That’s entirely their choice and I am not their daughter-in-law!!! I work my computing job at home and I can keep my house well myself, I like to save my few thousand and have my treasurable privacy without a stranger nosey around me, is this so wrong?

Mind you, they are a retired couple, had a tough life before, have a very intelligent good earning son, now have a comfortable life. They should be happy. But happy people will not do thing to try make the others’ life uneasy, right?

What is it really to do with them if I am not going to have a domestic helper? Not good enough to be their neighbour? Come on, we are not even living in a million luxury apartment, why is this up set them so much?

Their grand daughter has started kindergarden now, she might soon has to learn piano, how will they feel if people complain her on the day time practise? I don’t understand. I do know that the world has a lot of this kind of people, they made the world ugly.

現在時下的小朋友多數都有機會學鋼琴,多數都不知道自己有多幸運。因為學鋼琴和練琴都要坐定定,絕對不是小朋友們喜歡的活動。他她們多數都在心裏不悅出來。

最近女兒在日間練琴的時候,還受到鄰居的投訴,原本已是心散的她,就多了一個藉口去分心。我想令她明白學琴的重要性和練琴的必要性的努力,就更加是如遇上雪上加霜了。

我以為世上的人都跟我一樣,喜歡琴音。女兒彈的是 For Alice 和 I love you 等溫柔浪漫的歌曲。萬估不到有人把它當噪音投訴。

住在這屋苑三年了,我們一向目鄰,我們一梯八戶,見了面都會等下來談一兩句。在匆忙的時候,見了面也會 say Hi 打招呼。女兒也在這裏練了3年琴了,我們也很守份,從來不會在早上10時之前或晚上10點之後練琴。也有其他鄰居都彈琴的,相處一直太平。真不明白為甚麼到現在才有人投訴。又沒有新鄰居搬進來!

已經有了幾次投訴,分別在早上10時左右,另一次是午時11時45分和下午9時。初次是大廈的管理員,後來升級到叫警察。

我後來打電話到警局了解噪音條倒,看甚麼時候練琴才合法,結果發現了,只要是音樂,在任何時候遭受投訴,警察都要受理。當然,在日間練琴唱歌,是常人可以理解的,警察不會提出控訴,只可以勸喻。

在警察先生到訪的那天,他們在下午十一時四十五分搞我的門。這是我們的對話;

警察先生:’我們接到投訴,說你們練琴的聲浪很嘈,上來了解。’

女兒見了是警察,很害怕,停止了彈琴,躲到我的後面。

我: ‘對不起,我不知道連在日間也不許彈琴。我闊別了香港十年有三,真的不知道世界變了。’

警察先生:’噢!不,我們並不是想打擾你的女兒練琴,請不要誤會。但可不可以請你把琴的聲浪收細?’

我張開了嘴吧,眼晴問:’怎樣收細呢?今天早上十時左右樓下的看更已來了一次,我們已把琴調了到靜音功能。想不到還要勞駕你們來。’

警察先生:’那你可不可以把家中的窗都關上?’

我把大門絕開給他們看:’都已經全關上了,你們看。’

警察先生:’或者日後可在琴後加上一些隔音操施吧。因為我們站在你的門外,的確能聽得很清楚。

我說:’警察先生你們可以進來看,我的琴放在我的雜物房和廚房的牆那邊。都是因為不想影響鄰居。至於站在門外能聽到清楚的琴聲;第一,是因為門是通心不隔音,但屋就是這樣建成,大廈的管理是戶戶劃一,不能私自更換。別說是琴聲,你站在門外,可以聽到我或我隔鄰在屋內的談話,一清二楚。所以嘛,門這個問題,你要問李家成先生,是他的公司興建這裏的。第二呢?為甚麼投訴我的人要站在我門外?真奇怪!第三,可不可以告訴我甚麼時段才練琴不算擾民?’

警察先生:’噢!也沒有甚麼限制的。你們還打算練多久?’

我:’有限的嗎?我的女兒練了半個鐘,還會多練半小時吧!’

警察先生:’不是這個意思的!可不可以看看你的ID?’

然後他們便走了。

投訴的人真無聊,也浪費我們所交的稅。後來我看知道是我的隔鄰不斷投訴我。我真的很憤怒。因為在表面上,他們這對退休的夫婦對我們最友善。如果真的因為一天一時失眠,想在日間補補,只要來搞門說一聲便可,為甚麼要在背後投訴?還在我面前讚我的女兒彈琴彈得好。活到這把年紀還要這樣鬼崇虛偽。

他們的孫女兒也六歲了,在這種學琴的分數也影嚮到將來進升中大學的機會的情況下,他們的孫女也快學琴了吧?如果別人又投訴他們的孫女,他們會有怎樣的感受呢?呀!所以他們才不想鄰居知道他們是金手指!

我知道這位老太近來對我有點白眼。她知道我的印傭扭計請辭後,她對我說:’只要有錢,何愁沒工人?’
我告訴了她我決定不再用傭人了,自己打理家務,倒還自在。她看著我有點不高興,’說:噢!你真不夠運!’

另一次遇上她的丈夫,他問我還請不請工人。我給了他同一個答案,他說:如果不是我們老了,又要照護孫女,又不想媳婦過勞,我們也不要工人呢!’

其實請傭人不需多錢。少了要做的家務,也少了一家人在家無拘無束的自由。始終是多了一個陌生在家。我做的是freelance工作,自己的家便是寫字樓。還有時間可以打理家務,為甚麼一定要有傭人?

真不明世俗人的思想。不過,這些愚昧勢利的人,的確令世界變得醜陋!

现在时下的小朋友多数都有机会学钢琴,多数都不知道自己有多幸运。因为学钢琴和练琴都要坐定定,绝对不是小朋友们喜欢的活动。他她们多数都在心里不悦出来。

最近女儿在日间练琴的时候,还受到邻居的投诉,原本已是心散的她,就多了一个借口去分心。我想令她明白学琴的重要性和练琴的必要性的努力,就更加是如遇上雪上加霜了。

我以为世上的人都跟我一样,喜欢琴音。女儿弹的是 For Alice 和 I love you 等温柔浪漫的歌曲。万估不到有人把它当噪音投诉。

住在这屋苑三年了,我们一向目邻,我们一梯八户,见了面都会等下来谈一两句。在匆忙的时候,见了面也会 say Hi 打招呼。女儿也在这里练了3年琴了,我们也很守份,从来不会在早上10时之前或晚上10点之后练琴。也有其他邻居都弹琴的,相处一直太平。真不明白为甚么到现在才有人投诉。又没有新邻居搬进来!

已经有了几次投诉,分别在早上10时左右,另一次是午时11时45分和下午9时。初次是大厦的管理员,后来升级到叫警察。

我后来打电话到警局了解噪音条倒,看甚么时候练琴才合法,结果发现了,只要是音乐,在任何时候遭受投诉,警察都要受理。当然,在日间练琴唱歌,是常人可以理解的,警察不会提出控诉,只可以劝喻。

在警察先生到访的那天,他们在下午十一时四十五分搞我的门。这是我们的对话;

警察先生:’我们接到投诉,说你们练琴的声浪很嘈,上来了解。’

女儿见了是警察,很害怕,停止了弹琴,躲到我的后面。

我: ‘对不起,我不知道连在日间也不许弹琴。我阔别了香港十年有三,真的不知道世界变了。’

警察先生:’噢!不,我们并不是想打扰你的女儿练琴,请不要误会。但可不可以请你把琴的声浪收细?’

我张开了嘴吧,眼晴问:’怎样收细呢?今天早上十时左右楼下的看更已来了一次,我们已把琴调了到静音功能。想不到还要劳驾你们来。’

警察先生:’那你可不可以把家中的窗都关上?’

我把大门绝开给他们看:’都已经全关上了,你们看。’

警察先生:’或者日后可在琴后加上一些隔音操施吧。因为我们站在你的门外,的确能听得很清楚。

我说:’警察先生你们可以进来看,我的琴放在我的杂物房和厨房的墙那边。都是因为不想影响邻居。至于站在门外能听到清楚的琴声;第一,是因为门是通心不隔音,但屋就是这样建成,大厦的管理是户户划一,不能私自更换。别说是琴声,你站在门外,可以听到我或我隔邻在屋内的谈话,一清二楚。所以嘛,门这个问题,你要问李家成先生,是他的公司兴建这里的。第二呢?为甚么投诉我的人要站在我门外?真奇怪!第三,可不可以告诉我甚么时段才练琴不算扰民?’

警察先生:’噢!也没有甚么限制的。你们还打算练多久?’

我:’有限的吗?我的女儿练了半个钟,还会多练半小时吧!’

警察先生:’不是这个意思的!可不可以看看你的ID?’

然后他们便走了。

投诉的人真无聊,也浪费我们所交的税。后来我看知道是我的隔邻不断投诉我。我真的很愤怒。因为在表面上,他们这对退休的夫妇对我们最友善。如果真的因为一天一时失眠,想在日间补补,只要来搞门说一声便可,为甚么要在背后投诉?还在我面前赞我的女儿弹琴弹得好。活到这把年纪还要这样鬼崇虚伪。

他们的孙女儿也六岁了,在这种学琴的分数也影向到将来进升中大学的机会的情况下,他们的孙女也快学琴了吧?如果别人又投诉他们的孙女,他们会有怎样的感受呢?呀!所以他们才不想邻居知道他们是金手指!

我知道这位老太近来对我有点白眼。她知道我的印佣扭计请辞后,她对我说:’只要有钱,何愁没工人?’

我告诉了她我决定不再用佣人了,自己打理家务,倒还自在。她看着我有点不高兴,’说:噢!你真不够运!’

另一次遇上她的丈夫,他问我还请不请工人。我给了他同一个答案,他说:如果不是我们老了,又要照护孙女,又不想媳妇过劳,我们也不要工人呢!’

其实请佣人不需多钱。少了要做的家务,也少了一家人在家无拘无束的自由。始终是多了一个陌生在家。我做的是freelance工作,自己的家便是写字楼。还有时间可以打理家务,为甚么一定要有佣人?

真不明世俗人的思想。不过,这些愚昧势利的人,的确令世界变得丑陋!