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When he entered the store himself, he was accosted by music loud enough that when he phoned Mrs. Goines to tell her he was in the store and ask where she was, each of them had to speak louder to rise above the din.
Later, in the car, Mrs. Goines said she had complained to the front desk about the noise, but she was told, “The head office issued a directive we are to play seasonal music every hour during the month of December.”
Hmm, what were they going to do? Costco had become a must for the Goineses. Costco sold them their fresh fruit, their non-fat milk, their probiotic smoothies, their Greek Yogurt, their cases of San Pellegrino’s 750ml bottles (when on sale, which they frequently were)....
Driving home (and remembering not to tap his fingers on the steering wheel), Goines thought about what he might say if he called the head office. Since it was still November, he considered saying something like this:
Later, in the car, Mrs. Goines said she had complained to the front desk about the noise, but she was told, “The head office issued a directive we are to play seasonal music every hour during the month of December.”
Hmm, what were they going to do? Costco had become a must for the Goineses. Costco sold them their fresh fruit, their non-fat milk, their probiotic smoothies, their Greek Yogurt, their cases of San Pellegrino’s 750ml bottles (when on sale, which they frequently were)....
Driving home (and remembering not to tap his fingers on the steering wheel), Goines thought about what he might say if he called the head office. Since it was still November, he considered saying something like this:
Hi, this is Costco Member #5555555. I wish to complain about the seasonal music being played today in Costco Store #555. My wife and I went there today because it is still November, so we really, really expected the store NOT to be making that ghastly noise until tomorrow, when our month-long boycott of Costco, to avoid the racket, begins.It bothered Goines that such a complaint, however witty he hoped it might be, would be disingenuous, for they would, no doubt, continue to go weekly to Costco, however offensive the music. They did have those ear plugs from their Delta flights to France and back. Maybe they could serve for their noisesome frights back to Costco....
And, if the head office asked him what song or songs did he find particularly objectionable, Goines would be hard-pressed to say. In fact, he had no idea what songs had thrummed out. When the witty friend who suggested more sleep and fewer persimmons listed for him the “Top Five ‘Holiday Favorites’ ”:
Rudolf the red-nosed…Goines couldn’t say whether any one of them was aired at Costco. Neither Goines nor Mrs. Goines liked listening to songs while shopping. Goines concluded that, in that situation, he and his wife were deaf to content – and hypersensitive to noise.
I saw mother kissing…
White Christmas
Deck the halls…
Jingle bells
And neither did Goines like listening to songs while working out – he was remembering the noise he used to have to endure at the gym, before the pandemic forced him away. Background songs reached his brain as meaningless noise … unless they were something by the Beatles maybe, in which case he would stop whatever he was doing and listen, maybe even sing along.
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I don't mind the music, but definitely the loud volume. Same as in restaurants—they are noisy enough now with no drapes, no rugs, no muffled ceiling, but all open to construction features. You cannot hear your own table mates, so conversation is impossible. A plague on their houses.
ReplyDeleteI would like music if it wasn’t mostly crap and too loud. I agree with both of you about noise in restaurants. I guess young people like the clatter. If I had the energy I would create a “Neil’s List” of quiet restaurants for Lovers and Old People. It would be a short list.
ReplyDeleteOne of America's great public insults. Music in the Mall.
Remember Musak in elevators? Early ’50s? “Dad, what’s that noise?” It wasn’t music.
ReplyDeleteFatal point, Neil! If even a child didn't recognize the sound as music, then the case is closed!
DeleteWhen my youngest sister had a "band concert" in elementary school, the music was so bad as it started up that my mother thought they were moving furniture on stage.
DeleteMy big music complaint is the terrible music they play at the grocery store we go to!! If they play music at all, it should be soothing, soft music.....
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with the Goineses. I do wish we could shop without loud music being blasted on us.
ReplyDeleteAnd while I’m on the subject, I wish people would keep their music choices to themselves in their autos while in traffic. I love music but I can’t stand some people’s ideas of music being blasted out to me while driving or sitting at a traffic light. It’s noise pollution – the main crap I hear. Not to mention the extremely loud bass and speaker overload some chose to subject us to ! Our area has gotten so big that we are subjected to it more all the time !
Ranting over.