Friday night at the fights....

One of the strongest memories I have is about an activity which has haunted me all these many years, for its true insanity. We had a friend, or as it would be my girlfriend had a friend for many years (they are still friends today) and we would often spend time at her house as a group. My memory of the event is a bit foggy, but clears enough.

The friend lived with her mother in a large, luxury apartment on Park Heights Avenue in Baltimore in the sixty’s. It was a low rise, perhaps mid-century structure that probably still stands today. We would often sit in her living room talking.

Several times we witnessed an event unlike anything I had seen (or actually heard before).

A low noise, undistinguishable, a grumbling noise started, and the excited regulars became aroused by it. The knowledgeable ones (friend and her mother) as I remember rushed to the center ofr the room and put their heads on the floor, ears to the ground and made hushing sounds so we all could listen.

Clearly, this was a regular event, an evening with the neighbors!

The screaming commenced, and it grew in level. There was name calling, crashing of things, and as it reached the crescendo, smashing fists into doors, a woman locked into her room or the bathroom, and death threats being hurled in several directions.

“I’m going to kill you!” was the battle cry as I remember. All this delighted the residents as it was Friday night at the fights!

I witnessed this at least twice, no more was needed and once would have been enough. When asked about it at the time, it was explained to me that this was normal behavior for the neighbors. It was just the psychiatrist and his wife who live downstairs!