Party People in Covid Times

Let’s say you have loud neighbours who normally host loud parties. They live directly above you. They are generally decent folk. They don’t miss church every Sunday. They aren’t those stinky neighbours who cause a fuss if you pack on their slot. Their children play with your children. Sometimes when the doorbell rings and you open the door, one of their children— the six year old who always has a bruise on her knee— will be standing there asking in a sweet angelic voice, “Is Chuchu there?” [you are those dreadful guys who name their children Chuchu].

You and the man of the house are cool; when you run into each other at the parking, you will always have a brief banter about the weather or if the tree hanging over the parking should be trimmed. His wife is even friendlier. She and your wife get along. She has been over once, to bring a piece of birthday cake for one of their kids. (Not the one who bruises her knees).

But now it’s Covid season and how we live has changed but they still host those parties every other weekend. They are not loud now, but they are a danger to themselves and to other residents. They seem to disregard the fact that anyone can get it, that “you can gerrit, he can gerrit, anybody in the apartment block can gerrit” if they continue hosting like it’s Christmas season. Because you have their guests touching the elevator buttons and stairway railings. The management warned them but they won’t stop. They love to host.

Would you be such terrible neighbours if you squealed on them next time they had a party? If you put your family’s safety and the safety of the other families in the apartment before their debauchery? Would you be justified to make that anonymous call to the government of Kenya or that would just make you a low snitch?