Aiyah, I tell you ah, last time HDB void deck and pavilion only got two sounds: the tak-tak-tak of old uncles playing chess or the sound of weddings over the weekend. Now? Everywhere also got this new sound.
Pock! Pock! Pock!
Like someone taking a giant ping pong bat and hitting a hollow plastic ball against the floor non-stop. Yes lor, what else? Pickleball.
Now every morning 7am, I haven’t even drink my kopi, the sound already start. I look down from my kitchen window, and there they are. At first, I thought, “Wah, these clowns very health-conscious ah, good lor, exercise a bit.” But after one hour of that pock-pock sound echoing through the concrete block, my head start to pening.
You know Singapore HDB right? The sound travel one. It’s like a megaphone. One person hit the ball, the whole block from 1st floor to 40th floor can hear.
The other day, I saw one Uncle from Level 4 go down to complain. He was still wearing his singlet, muka (face) so black. “Eh hello! Can slow down a bit or not? My grandson trying to sleep!”
Then the pickleball group—all wearing those bright neon shirts like they going for Olympics—they just look back and say, “Uncle, this is public space leh! Government say must stay active! We are promoting active aging you know?”
Wah, Uncle Tan almost burst his blood vessel. “Active aging is active aging, but your pock-pock sound is making me age faster from stress lah!”
Actually, the game itself is quite fun to watch, but why must play so early or so late? And some more, they start bringing their own portable nets and marking the floor with tape. My neighbor’s son cannot even play football at the void deck anymore because the “Pickleball Mafia” already conquer the whole place.
I think hor, soon Town Council going to have headache. More and more people complaining. Last time was “Killer Litter,” now is “Killer Noise.”
If they want to play, go CC indoor court lah, or go those specialized courts. Don’t play under my block until my brain also follow the rhythm of the ball. Pock, pock, pock. Every time I hear it, I just feel like taking a giant pickle and stuffing it in my ears.
Sian, man. I just want my morning peace and quiet. Is it too much to ask?