JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum The noise

So last night I walk through the great room on my way from the music room to the bedroom. And I hear a bunch of crickets chirping. Didn't think a thing of it...

Except this morning the noise was still there. And I know it can't be crickets anymore. So I check every electric device in the room and none of them is making the noise.

Had an appointment this morning so I had to leave it hanging...

I get home from work tonight and the noise is still there. Now it's starting to get to me. Sometimes floodlights in the ceiling will make a similar (though much softer) noise when one of the filaments is about to go. So I haul the ladder in from the garage - move it beneath every light, climb up and listen. None of them are making the noise.

In desperation, I go out to the garage and throw the main breaker - now there is no electricity in the house. But the noise is still there. By now, I'm going nuts. I think to myself, "The cats are involved somehow - I know this". But that doesn't get me anywhere.

It sounds like it's coming from the ceiling. So I haul the other ladder in from the garage, climb up into the attic, do my contortionist act to only climb on the two by fours, and make my way over to the ceiling above the great room. Nothing - it's quiet as a tomb up there. I make my way back to the access and climb down and move both ladders back out to the garage. I'm starting to get tired now - but the noise is still there.

So now I start to think. If it's not coming from a device that's plugged in, maybe it's coming from something on batteries. I check my wife's laptop. That's not it either.

I go back out to the garage, haul one of the ladders back in and move it next to every smoke detector. I climb up and put my head next to each one. Nothing....

My wife starts humming the Twilight Zone theme song. I'm only mildly amused. She heads off to bed, leaving me alone with the noise.

For the 100th time, I walk across the great room, looking up at the ceiling. Now I'm not convinced it's coming from there - it seems to be coming from everywhere.

While looking up, I trip over an exposed edge of carpet and fall to the floor. My head comes to rest near a little rubber mouse that my wife bought for the cats. It makes a noise when you pounce on it. Except now, it's emitting a continuous noise. THE noise.

I calmly cut it open, pullout the electronics, and tear them to pieces. It feels good. The house is quiet again.

True story - you can't make this stuff up.

Scott