Let's Get Rid of Random Already!

               

            City noises are very different from the sounds in the country.  I definitely wasn't raised in the country, but it wasn't a part of the city during the 60's either.  Mom may have thought as our newly developed neighborhood as "hick country" as even the busiest part of SLC was nothing like the quietest part of San Francisco (was there ever a quiet place in San Francisco) but I called it a town.

            We lived far enough from the city that we were not really a part of it, but close enough that we could drive to various places.  There was a 7-11 within walking distance.  It was built before any business was open 24 hours a day.  7-11 hours were from 7 in the morning until 11 at night.  I don't recall any restaurants or other establishments to walk to other than the corner gas station - but there wasn't a convenient store connected to it, so what would have been the point?

            I don't recall any specific sounds from my early childhood.  Sometimes I would hear trains in the distance or hear planes flying overhead.  Gradually the city built its way up around our little neighborhood until it was eventually swallowed up in the mass.  There were 30 - 40 food places within walking distance after I had graduated high school.  The sounds were provided by traffic flow, often barking dogs - perhaps something else.  I really don't remember.

            I had heard animal sounds (other than dogs) at Wheeler Farm.  We lived far enough that I didn't hear them constantly -  I knew roosters crowed.  I thought it was a morning thing - to let everyone know the sun was up - or what have you.  I didn't know roosters crowed ALL DAY LONG!!

In our first house in Oregon, we would often hear goats bleating and a rooster crow.  We called the rooster Random as he would go off at various times of the day.  There didn't seem to be a pattern.  We have been in our second house for almost two years now.  I don't know how long the rooster has been around, but Jenna is always first to hear it.  He'll go off at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning.  What is up with that?

            At first I thought he might be boasting, "Oh, yea.  I just had myself another hen . . ." but just before it rained, Random was crowing like he had gone loco and WOULD NOT SHUT UP.  But again, maybe that's normal.  I don't know roosters.  Until I moved here, I hadn't heard the constant echo of their sounds.  I don't know how many roosters may live in our neighborhood.  It sounds like only one, but to my ears, he has definitely got a problem.  Perhaps to the average country folk, the sound is normal.  But I don't like it.  Put Random and my family out of his/our misery already and make some rooster stew!