Searching For Quiet

While waiting for an oil change, customer waiting rooms at car dealerships are a nice place to go. Not really. The TV is tuned to either a news channel or some day time drivel -- and the commercials. When I'm the only one in the waiting room (what does it say about a dealership when the waiting room has accommodation for 25 to 30 people), I mute the TV sound. Most times it stays that way as people come and pick up some of the dated periodicals that lay on the table.

Occasionally, there is that individual who returns the sound to the TV. That is when I leave to go for a walk. Someplace. Anyplace without a TV blaring away with commercials every few minutes.

The most recent oil change was at a large Ford dealership. With chairs and tables scattered throughout the show room and the central court, there was no need for a waiting room. There was a TV playing in one area of the central area but mostly invisible to the rest of the area. Wi-Fi was available throughout the area like it is in most car dealers. The good part was the seating and the free Wi-Fi.

However, there was no avoiding that too loud music over the PA system. The music ranged in selections from the 50s genre to current rap hits. Actually much of the music could have been any vintage in the last three decades. Don't really know. There was probably something for every person's music taste who might be in the show room. Even worse, there was a singer in all the selections.

Unfortunately, I have a hard time concentrating when there is singing music in the background. They are talking. My brain always tries to listen to talking. Would be great if it could just be music. No singing. When it is just music without singing, it doesn't impact my concentration.

Sat myself down at a table and decided that perhaps the ear buds listening to Pandora on my iPad might drown out the dealership music/noise. It doesn't really work. If I turn up the sound on the iPad to block out the dealership noise, my ears hurt from the volume coming from the iPad. Not a good solution to the problem.

Eventually, I gave up. I couldn't concentrate on anything as I tried to read an eBook on the iPad. Walked around inside searching for a place where the music could not be heard.

Headed outside. It was great. Found a quiet place. Unfortunately, it was a tad chilly no sun day. It was tough outside for a guy with little body fat and usual attire of a Hawaiian shirt. With reflection on the screen of the iPad (Yeah. I know the eInk technology is readable outside.) it was either sitting or go for a walk. So I went for a walk around the car dealer's lot and checked the sticker prices for trucks and cars.

The little walking exercise was good. The time went quickly and soon I was reunited with Silver Slug and headed down the road in search of a quiet place. Home. There I control the sound -- and the music.