Earlier today, I was working with one of my regular collaborators in New Wave, a coffee shop near Logan Square in Chicago this afternoon.  When we arrived they were playing some of the New Wave that inspired their name and decor.  After a few songs, the music changed to something vergin on Free Jazz that I enjoyed, but my partner did not.  After awhile she went up to the counter and asked them to turn it down so that she could work.  The barrista did as requested, but he did it grudgingly and then shortly there after switched the music to some truly appalling punk that did not deserve the vinyl it was pressed on.  In addition, he cranked the volume to a level that made it impossible for us to speak at less than a low yell.

After three or four songs, my partner asked me to see if I would do any better, since I tend to be a bit less abrasive than her in confrontations.  I agreed.  There’s something about low-quality punk, caffeine and the Adderall that I take to combat my ADD that made me feel as if I wanted to break things into tinier things.

I took a minute or two to think and here is what I came up with to improve my chance of success compared with our last attempt.
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