Noise Makers

Last year, my cruel parents gave my son a set of drums for Christmas. I never remember having a set of drums as child, but it was important that their grandson had an instrument that makes a lot of noise. My son is a six years old, but plays his drums with the enthusiasm of Steven Adler, the former drummer for Guns N' Roses. The only thing missing is the '80s hair, which he comes close to early in the morning.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were looking forward to sleeping in late. At the breaking of dawn, we were jolted from our beds along with neighbors within a 5-mile radius. I thought the wrath of God had descended onto our house.

I stormed into his bedroom and asked if he had lost his mind because I was losing mine. Fortunately, the drums were too large to throw out the window.

My son wanted the drums. He didn’t want a flute or a ukulele. He wanted drums. I tried to reason with him. I explained to him that you cannot serenade the ladies with a drum set. His mother agreed. But then again, that is not the point. The point is to be loud. To make noise. To wake the dead.

I have decided that we need more drummers. We have plenty of people in society that want to serenade us, soothe us and comfort us. What we need is people who have the courage to awaken us from our slumber. We need people to make noise. Politicians who speak truth. Preachers who are prophetic. Poets who are visionaries. Society needs noise makers.

We just don’t care for them in our own house.