[originaltext]M: How are your new neighbors, Betty?W: They seem nice enough, b

M: How are your new neighbors, Betty?
W: They seem nice enough, but they have a son who’s driving me crazy.
M: What do you mean?
W: He comes home every night around 10 with his car windows open and radio blaring. It stops as soon as he turns the car off. But by then Brian and Lisa are wide awake.
M: Oh, no.
W: Oh, Yes. Sometimes it takes us until mid-night just to get them settled down again.
M: Have you tried talking to them?
W: We haven’t even really met them yet except to say a quick hello. In addition, I just can’t open my mouth.
M: You are not going to like them when you do meet them if you keep holding on.
W: I know, but I feel stupid complaining. It isn’t that he keeps it blaring all night.
M: But you said it is driving you crazy.
W: Well, you know how early I have to get up to the office. I’m just not getting enough sleep and neither are the kids. They’re so irritable when I get home in the afternoon.
M: Maybe you could visit them with a little gift: a plant for the yard or something. Then you could ask about their son whether they have any other children and they’ll be sure to ask about yours.
W: Yeah, and then what?
M: Then you could mention that the hardest thing is to get your kids to fall asleep at night?
W: And keep them asleep.
M: That’s the idea. And you should do it soon. The longer you wait, the harder it’ll be to do it politely.